Herman Sidney (Eagle) Day loved his cold coach, John Howard Vaught, who passed to the great beyond at the age of 96, a month from his 97th birthday. The report that Day had an incurable case of cancer floated around town. Prayers were said. Money was contributed to the Baptist Church. Only problem was that the good friend who told the story had Eagle mixed up with someone else.
The pride of Columbia, Ms. is in excellent health I am happy to report. He wants to join his coach in the Pearly Gates some day, but not in the immediate future.
Day gained immortality at Ole Miss by leading the Rebels to a Cotton Bowl victory over Jim Swink's powerful TCU eleven, even not listening to his coach who told him to punt on fourth down late in the game. Day threw a perfect pass for a first down and the Rebels drove down the field and scored the winning touchdown.
Ed Orgeron had the same thought in mind no doubt when he went for a first down at mid-field leading Mississippi State, 14-0 , at the time. Orgeron gambled and not only lost the game, 17-14 but his job as well as Ole Miss' head football coach.
I saw Houston Nutt, the new Red and Blue coach, at this year's Heisman Trophy where his great running back McFadden again finished second in the voting. I asked Houston, who left Arkansas to go to Ole Miss, how recruiting was going and he reported just fine.
This was my 45th straight Heisman Trophy dinner, dating back to 1962 when I was the Executive Sports Editor-Columnist of the Trenton (N.J.) Times when Oregon's Terry Baker wpm the award.
A fine array of former Heisman winners were there for the occasion including Princeton's Dick Kazmaier, Notre Dame's Johny Lattner, and Ohio State's Hop Cassedy. John David Crow of Texas A&M was thee on the 50th Anniversary of his receiving the Heisman. Herschel Walker was there as the Silver Anniversary honoree. Vince and Barbara Dooley were there to support Walker, who would have probably joined Archie Griffin as a two-time winner had he not turned pro after his junior season.
I first met Walker at the Washington D.C,Touchdown Club dinner when he was honored as the top high school football player in the country. We visited the White House with other honorees that year. In New Orleans at the Sugar Bowl I urged Herschel to not turn pro and come back for his final year, telling him he would break all of the records. I remember Herschel's reply: "All the records." The money was too much to turn down, however, and he turned Pro.
Tim Tebow, this year's Heisman winner, the first as a sophomore, will be the pre-season favorite to repeat as a Heisman honoree in 2008, as he leads the Florida Gators. He had a cast on his right hand at the Heisman but will play in the Bowl game. Tim is a left hander, as you no doubt know.
Steve Spurrier was on hand to see another Gator win the Heisman. Several years ago he told me he nearly went to Ole Miss because of his high regard for backfield coach Johnny Cain and Johnny Vaught. His Father, a minister, got a church in Florida, as the story goes, so Steve left Johnson City, Tn. to go to Gainesville. I did not know this story until nearly 40 years later and asked Vaught why he could not have asked some elderly North Mississippi minister to retire so Rev. Spurrier could come to the Magnolia State. Vaught said he would not have done this. J.W. (Wobble) Davidson went to his grave saying this was a major mistake.
Had Spurrier gone to Ole Miss he would have followed Eagle Day, Bobby Franklin, Ray Brown, Doug Elmore, and Glynn Griffing as the Rebel field general, continuing the Ole Miss glory days.
***
I am going to Las Vegas for the All-American Football Foundation's West Coast Banquet of Champions Dec. 20. The Dinner is dedicated to the great fighter pilot General Robin Olds, who played for Red Blaik at Army in 1943 before entering World War II. Robin served with distinction in Korea and Viet Nam as well. The late Bil Ireland , longtime Athletic Director at UNLV will also be remembered at the Dinner.
The Banquet is sponsored by the Las Vegas Sports and Visitors Authority, leading in to the Las Vegas Bowl game featuring Brigham Young and UCLA.
It will be good to be back in Jackson for Christmas with the family, two of my three children and six grandchildren. Merry Christmas to one and all and Happy New Year.
-- 30----
Monday, December 17, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
New York at Christmas Time
NEW YORK CITY-----I first visited New York City in 1944 as a Naval Gunner and did not know at the time that I would later spend 30 years in the Metropolitan area as the Executive Sports Editor-Columnist of the Trenton (N.J.) Times and Executive Director of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame. I lived in the City first at 17 East 80th street in a six story Limestone Mansion, taking the elevator to work.
The National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame purchased the Mansion, located between 5th and Madison, for $700,000 and it was sold later for about the same price when the NFFHF re-located the College Football Hall of Fame at Kings Island, Ohio. Our office remained in the City at East 42nd street and I lived around the Corner from the United Nations headquarters.
The view was magnificent until a tall building was erected destroying the View. I moved to East 45th street near Broadway.
Our Chairman Vincent DePaul Draddy retired as Chairman of David Crystal, featuring Izod shirts and since he lived in Rye the headquarters was switched to Larchmont. When Draddy passed away the new officers moved the headquarters to Morristown,N.J. and only recently with another change at the top the office is now in the suburbs of Dallas.
The Limestone Mansion today is worth millions of dollars something that Draddy's replacements should not forget. Draddy's attorney George Weiss is the Secretary-Treasurer and was in charge of getting a buyer for the Mansion.
Draddy was succeeded first by Bill Pearce and later Jon Hanson and Ron Johnson. Mississippi's Archie Manning is replacing Johnson as Chairman. I boosted Manning for the Hall of Fame and later recommended him to Draddy as the speaker for his Hall of Fame Class at the Waldorf Astoria.
The fact that two Mississippians, Manning and McDowell, held key positions in the NFFHF is interesting. After my retirement was requested in 199l I continued as a Consultant under Bill Pearce. When Pearce died, Hanson, who I recommended to Draddy as a member of the Board wrote and told me that I would have no role to play when my contract expired at the end of the year.
With a dedicated group, primarily from Mississippi the All-American Football Foundation was launched in 1994 with the Banquet of Champions program beginning in 1995. On February ll, 2008 our 90th Banquet of Champions will be held at the Jackson Hilton.
In addition to selecting two All-America teams (1-A and 1-AA-2-3) after the Bowl games, after all of the returns are in, Coaches of the year, National Champions in all divisions, and ll Colonel Red Blaik Leadership Scholarship winners, the Foundation awards $1000 grants to the alma maters of the Blaik honorees to go to youngsters who need help whom they select.
Manning's sons, Peyton and Eli, were two of our Red Blaik honorees. So were Deuce McAllister and Aurelius Thomas, among others.Our head coach award is named after Johnny Vaught. Our assistant coach is named after Mike Campbell. Our coaches of the year carry the name of Frank Leahy. Our award to a football player who served his country carries the good name of Admiral Tom Hamilton of Navy. Our high school coach award is named after President Gerald R. Ford.
We are not competing with the NFFHF . I attended this year's dinner as a sports columnist. The Dinner was again outstanding with General Peter Dawkins and Roger Staubach,both over-seas war time warriors after their playing days, co-winners of the Gold Medal.
What the NFFHF does and what the AAFF does is good for Football.
****
I have been a member of the NFFHF since 1961 and started chapters for Executive Director Harvey Harman in Mississippi, Delaware Valley N.J. and other cities and countries coast-to-coast traveling as much as 260 days a year over 27 and a half years. When I revived the Memphis chapter Harman, the old Rutgers coach, recommend me to Chairman Chester J. LaRoche, an old Yale man and the first president of the NFFHF to take over Public Relations and Chaper membership duties. When Harvey died, Draddy, who succeeded LaRoche promoted me to succeed Harvey.
In this year's Dinner Program LaRoche was not mentioned. Neither were the Executive Directors Arthur Evans, George Little, Harman or McDowell.
The Football Hall of Fame Shrine began in 1947 at Syracuse with Grantland Rice the President.
Inductions were held on campuses and collections were taken to keep the Shrine in business.
The Shrine was in debt and could not pay its bills. Then the National Football Foundation was formed under the Leadership of LaRoche, Admiral Tom Hamilton. Colonel Ed Garbisch . Colonel Red Blaik, Bill Morton and others.
Inductions continued on home campuses until a decision was reached to have a great Dinner, inducting the players and coaches in style at the Hotel Astor in 1958. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was chosen as the first recipient of the Gold Medal. A month before the Dinner the Dinner Chairman was asked to give a report on the Dinner. He said he did not have time to do this and resigned. LaRoche asked Morton, the former Dartmouth star what should we do. Air Mail Bill said he played high school football with the best salesman in New York Vin Draddy. Chet asked Bill what school did he attend. Bill said "Manhattan, " Chet, the ole Yalie, said:" Manhattan." Morton asked whether he wanted to sell any tickets or not with the President of the United States coming to town.
Draddy came on board. Tickets and tables were sold and the NFFHF was in business. LaRoche, Morton, and Draddy became Gold Medal winners in the years that followed.
I continue to support the NFFHF as a dues paying member and renewed my membership after returning to Mississippi.
***
While in New York I enjoyed Lunch at 2l, the 75th Radio City Music Hall Christmas show,featuring the dazzling Rockettes, Dinner at Neary's, Lunch at Gino's and seeing many old friends before going to Massachusetts for the AAFF New England Banquet of Champions and returning to New York for the three-day Heisman Trophy celebration, featuring 2007 recipient Tim Tebow of the University of Florida, the first sophomore so honored. I have attended every Heisman Dinner since 1962--my 45th Heisman dinner.
Earlier in Baltimore I attended the Army-Navy game which I have attended since l962 with the exception of the game played in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Christmas time in the city there is nothing like it.
The National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame purchased the Mansion, located between 5th and Madison, for $700,000 and it was sold later for about the same price when the NFFHF re-located the College Football Hall of Fame at Kings Island, Ohio. Our office remained in the City at East 42nd street and I lived around the Corner from the United Nations headquarters.
The view was magnificent until a tall building was erected destroying the View. I moved to East 45th street near Broadway.
Our Chairman Vincent DePaul Draddy retired as Chairman of David Crystal, featuring Izod shirts and since he lived in Rye the headquarters was switched to Larchmont. When Draddy passed away the new officers moved the headquarters to Morristown,N.J. and only recently with another change at the top the office is now in the suburbs of Dallas.
The Limestone Mansion today is worth millions of dollars something that Draddy's replacements should not forget. Draddy's attorney George Weiss is the Secretary-Treasurer and was in charge of getting a buyer for the Mansion.
Draddy was succeeded first by Bill Pearce and later Jon Hanson and Ron Johnson. Mississippi's Archie Manning is replacing Johnson as Chairman. I boosted Manning for the Hall of Fame and later recommended him to Draddy as the speaker for his Hall of Fame Class at the Waldorf Astoria.
The fact that two Mississippians, Manning and McDowell, held key positions in the NFFHF is interesting. After my retirement was requested in 199l I continued as a Consultant under Bill Pearce. When Pearce died, Hanson, who I recommended to Draddy as a member of the Board wrote and told me that I would have no role to play when my contract expired at the end of the year.
With a dedicated group, primarily from Mississippi the All-American Football Foundation was launched in 1994 with the Banquet of Champions program beginning in 1995. On February ll, 2008 our 90th Banquet of Champions will be held at the Jackson Hilton.
In addition to selecting two All-America teams (1-A and 1-AA-2-3) after the Bowl games, after all of the returns are in, Coaches of the year, National Champions in all divisions, and ll Colonel Red Blaik Leadership Scholarship winners, the Foundation awards $1000 grants to the alma maters of the Blaik honorees to go to youngsters who need help whom they select.
Manning's sons, Peyton and Eli, were two of our Red Blaik honorees. So were Deuce McAllister and Aurelius Thomas, among others.Our head coach award is named after Johnny Vaught. Our assistant coach is named after Mike Campbell. Our coaches of the year carry the name of Frank Leahy. Our award to a football player who served his country carries the good name of Admiral Tom Hamilton of Navy. Our high school coach award is named after President Gerald R. Ford.
We are not competing with the NFFHF . I attended this year's dinner as a sports columnist. The Dinner was again outstanding with General Peter Dawkins and Roger Staubach,both over-seas war time warriors after their playing days, co-winners of the Gold Medal.
What the NFFHF does and what the AAFF does is good for Football.
****
I have been a member of the NFFHF since 1961 and started chapters for Executive Director Harvey Harman in Mississippi, Delaware Valley N.J. and other cities and countries coast-to-coast traveling as much as 260 days a year over 27 and a half years. When I revived the Memphis chapter Harman, the old Rutgers coach, recommend me to Chairman Chester J. LaRoche, an old Yale man and the first president of the NFFHF to take over Public Relations and Chaper membership duties. When Harvey died, Draddy, who succeeded LaRoche promoted me to succeed Harvey.
In this year's Dinner Program LaRoche was not mentioned. Neither were the Executive Directors Arthur Evans, George Little, Harman or McDowell.
The Football Hall of Fame Shrine began in 1947 at Syracuse with Grantland Rice the President.
Inductions were held on campuses and collections were taken to keep the Shrine in business.
The Shrine was in debt and could not pay its bills. Then the National Football Foundation was formed under the Leadership of LaRoche, Admiral Tom Hamilton. Colonel Ed Garbisch . Colonel Red Blaik, Bill Morton and others.
Inductions continued on home campuses until a decision was reached to have a great Dinner, inducting the players and coaches in style at the Hotel Astor in 1958. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was chosen as the first recipient of the Gold Medal. A month before the Dinner the Dinner Chairman was asked to give a report on the Dinner. He said he did not have time to do this and resigned. LaRoche asked Morton, the former Dartmouth star what should we do. Air Mail Bill said he played high school football with the best salesman in New York Vin Draddy. Chet asked Bill what school did he attend. Bill said "Manhattan, " Chet, the ole Yalie, said:" Manhattan." Morton asked whether he wanted to sell any tickets or not with the President of the United States coming to town.
Draddy came on board. Tickets and tables were sold and the NFFHF was in business. LaRoche, Morton, and Draddy became Gold Medal winners in the years that followed.
I continue to support the NFFHF as a dues paying member and renewed my membership after returning to Mississippi.
***
While in New York I enjoyed Lunch at 2l, the 75th Radio City Music Hall Christmas show,featuring the dazzling Rockettes, Dinner at Neary's, Lunch at Gino's and seeing many old friends before going to Massachusetts for the AAFF New England Banquet of Champions and returning to New York for the three-day Heisman Trophy celebration, featuring 2007 recipient Tim Tebow of the University of Florida, the first sophomore so honored. I have attended every Heisman Dinner since 1962--my 45th Heisman dinner.
Earlier in Baltimore I attended the Army-Navy game which I have attended since l962 with the exception of the game played in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Christmas time in the city there is nothing like it.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Coaches Firing Season
Cash settlements make a difference in today's Sports World. In the old days coaches would be fired with little money involved. Ed Orgeron will get a ton of money as he departs Ole Miss. A few years back Billy Brewer had to sue the University to get his cash after Gerald R. Turner handed him the blue slip.
Ole Miss got mad and is still mad with Billy Brewer for bringing a law suit against his alma mater. Billy could have helped and could still help Ole Miss raise money. He also should be in the Ole Miss M Club Hall of Fame as a memeber of the Centennial team an dthe coach who is second only to Johnny Vaught as Ole Miss' all-time winning head football coach.
The night of the Centennial dinner Vaught publically said he hoped that Brewer, his former defensive back, would be the Coach of the next Century of Ole Miss football.
Now, the new coach will have to hope that the announced Committments will stick. I rather doubt if the California lads will and hope i am wrong.
Orgeron sealed his own fate with his fourth and one call. He believed in his team to accomplish this mission and THEY let him down. The Offensive Line was supposed to be the strength of the 2007 Rebels. They could not open a hole against the determined Mississippi State defense when Oregeron gambled and lost. Leading 14-0 with less than eight minutes remaining Ole Miss still could have won, but didn't.
Ole Miss missed the boat when it did not sign Swayze Waters, who wanted to play college football in Mississippi. His grandfather Bucky Waters of the famed Waters sports family was excellent as a player and later as a coach. Swayze, who stars at UAB has Ray Guy-type punting ability and Paige Cothren-Robert Khayat type field goal accuracy. Noel Mazzone wanted the Memphis kicker rather than Wates, a major mistake.
I learned of Orgeron's dismissal while in Hattiesburg for the Southern's regular season finale with Arkansas State. I had made the trip to Starkville with Mitch and Steve Lavinghouse. When Ole Miss gambled and lost the first down play the Mississippi State crown got back in the game.
A few hundred Maroon fans had given up the ghost and headed for th parking lots before this happened, missing one of the best comebacks in recent Bulldog history. It took four years for Sylvester Croom to get his program moving in the right direction. Orgeron thought he had a five year assurance and was looking forward tot the 2008 season when he was terminated.
The deal is done. Ole Miss must hire and hire quickly. Paying a search firm is throwing money away. Athletic Directors should always have a short list of possible replacements. Ole Miss joins Baylor, Michigan, SMU, Texas A&M, and Nebraska as members of the coach search club. And there could be others after the final week of the regular season.
Ole Miss needs to retain as many commitments as possible.
In Hattiesburg after meeting new President Martha Saunders, I chatted with veteran pro scout Hamp Cook and P.W. Underwood, who played at Southern when I worked there as Director of Public Relations and Athletic Publicity with one student who could cut stencils for the publicity releases. I also helped recruit P.W. was one of the prize signees. I drove P.W. around town and then we sat under a big oak tree leading to the Grill where every every co-ed had to pass. I told P. W. that i knew he was a good football player and he would get the publicity, because i handled the publicity. I also told him that the co-eds and particularly the Dixie Darlings really liked football players and he replied: "Where do I sign?"
Later when he was a head coach his greatest win came when Southern beat Ole Miss, led by Archie Manning in 1969. Four husky football players picked Underwood up on their shoulders and carried him out to mid-field to shake Johnny Vaught's hand. The staggered as they approached the Rebel Coach and then dropped him because his weight was practically on the Ole Miss coach's foot.
Johny Howard Vaught looked Underwood in the eye and said: " You didn't expect two miracles in the same day did you?"
-------30---------
Ole Miss got mad and is still mad with Billy Brewer for bringing a law suit against his alma mater. Billy could have helped and could still help Ole Miss raise money. He also should be in the Ole Miss M Club Hall of Fame as a memeber of the Centennial team an dthe coach who is second only to Johnny Vaught as Ole Miss' all-time winning head football coach.
The night of the Centennial dinner Vaught publically said he hoped that Brewer, his former defensive back, would be the Coach of the next Century of Ole Miss football.
Now, the new coach will have to hope that the announced Committments will stick. I rather doubt if the California lads will and hope i am wrong.
Orgeron sealed his own fate with his fourth and one call. He believed in his team to accomplish this mission and THEY let him down. The Offensive Line was supposed to be the strength of the 2007 Rebels. They could not open a hole against the determined Mississippi State defense when Oregeron gambled and lost. Leading 14-0 with less than eight minutes remaining Ole Miss still could have won, but didn't.
Ole Miss missed the boat when it did not sign Swayze Waters, who wanted to play college football in Mississippi. His grandfather Bucky Waters of the famed Waters sports family was excellent as a player and later as a coach. Swayze, who stars at UAB has Ray Guy-type punting ability and Paige Cothren-Robert Khayat type field goal accuracy. Noel Mazzone wanted the Memphis kicker rather than Wates, a major mistake.
I learned of Orgeron's dismissal while in Hattiesburg for the Southern's regular season finale with Arkansas State. I had made the trip to Starkville with Mitch and Steve Lavinghouse. When Ole Miss gambled and lost the first down play the Mississippi State crown got back in the game.
A few hundred Maroon fans had given up the ghost and headed for th parking lots before this happened, missing one of the best comebacks in recent Bulldog history. It took four years for Sylvester Croom to get his program moving in the right direction. Orgeron thought he had a five year assurance and was looking forward tot the 2008 season when he was terminated.
The deal is done. Ole Miss must hire and hire quickly. Paying a search firm is throwing money away. Athletic Directors should always have a short list of possible replacements. Ole Miss joins Baylor, Michigan, SMU, Texas A&M, and Nebraska as members of the coach search club. And there could be others after the final week of the regular season.
Ole Miss needs to retain as many commitments as possible.
In Hattiesburg after meeting new President Martha Saunders, I chatted with veteran pro scout Hamp Cook and P.W. Underwood, who played at Southern when I worked there as Director of Public Relations and Athletic Publicity with one student who could cut stencils for the publicity releases. I also helped recruit P.W. was one of the prize signees. I drove P.W. around town and then we sat under a big oak tree leading to the Grill where every every co-ed had to pass. I told P. W. that i knew he was a good football player and he would get the publicity, because i handled the publicity. I also told him that the co-eds and particularly the Dixie Darlings really liked football players and he replied: "Where do I sign?"
Later when he was a head coach his greatest win came when Southern beat Ole Miss, led by Archie Manning in 1969. Four husky football players picked Underwood up on their shoulders and carried him out to mid-field to shake Johnny Vaught's hand. The staggered as they approached the Rebel Coach and then dropped him because his weight was practically on the Ole Miss coach's foot.
Johny Howard Vaught looked Underwood in the eye and said: " You didn't expect two miracles in the same day did you?"
-------30---------
Monday, November 19, 2007
A Long Day in Oxford
OXFORD-----The Wild Bunch gathered for their final Grove Tail Gate of 2007. Missing were All American Fullback Charlie Flowers and Dr. Shed Hill Roberson. Shed was in Florida with his children and grandchildren. Charlie was battling a seizure of Influenza suffered on a vacation trip in Italy.
Beaux Ball, the best dancing football player in the Johnny Vaught Regime, was there with his bride, Bea, and son, Warren Jr. They are already planning their ski trip in Colorado next winter. Kent Jr. Lovelace and his bride Cheri were there. They are looking forward to a Thanksgiving dinner prepared by their son-in-law Emeril LeGasse in New Orleans. They will also join Emeril and their daughter Alden in Pasadena for the Tournament of Roses Parade. Emeril is the Grand Marshal.
We asked Cheri how did she happen to marry Kent Jr. She said she was 10 years younger and when he called the Family home she answered and told him he must want to talk to her older sister. Kent Jr., who refused a Happy 70th birthday party suggested by Alden,said no, he wanted to talk to her.
At Wellington Mara's funeral Perian Conerly, Lulu Malvezzi Manness, and I had lunch at Jimmie Neary's with Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford. I told Frank that my pal Beaux Ball told me they had bought a house next to them in Colorado and were looking forward to being neighbors. Frank said this would be impossible since they sold their house shortly thereafter.
The All-American Football Foundation wants to honor and remember John Jewell Ball, hopefully at the Deep South Banquet of Champions in Jackson February ll. Beaux is checking to see if he can be there to represent his deceased brother. J.J. always looked forward to the LSU-Ole Miss game in Baton Rouge. He usually bought a new suit before the game and said that there were 60,000 fans observing him in his new suit.
Ed Wilburn Hooker and his family will again view the State-Ole Miss game in Destin. He is glad Ole Miss will allow cooking in the Grove next season so he can again prepare his delicious Brie Burgers, which Emeril had said that they were outstanding.
At this year's LSU-Ole Miss game the Rebels played well for a while against the nation's top-ranked football team going into Thanksgiving weekend. BenJarvis Green Ellis got his 1000 career yards but could not get vital yards from the one, fumbling and LSU recovering which hurt the Red and considerably.Later Ole Miss was on the Tiger three, first down, and got a delay in game penalty followed by a 1-yard penalty.
Next spring management of the clock should be stressed. I know some of the players had academic problems, but how tough is it to read a clock?
****
While some 20 players were involved in swiping motel towels this is nothing new in college athletics. When I was working at Mississippi Southern a huge married tackle came home from a road trip and his bride unpacked his bag and found two motel towels. She chewed the husky out and told him she did not marry a towel thief. Several weeks later on another road trip in Louisiana the players carrying their baggage were sorry to see the hotel manager racing out to the bus and telling Coach Pie Vann that his players had borrowed some towels. Pie told his gridders to unpack their bags and sure enough there were motel towels therein. Only one bag did not have a towel, the big husky whose wife had threatened to leave him. Pie said he was glad that he had at least one honest player while giving the hotel manager back his towels.
There was no suspension , however, just laps to run when the team got back to Hattiesburg.
-----30-----
Beaux Ball, the best dancing football player in the Johnny Vaught Regime, was there with his bride, Bea, and son, Warren Jr. They are already planning their ski trip in Colorado next winter. Kent Jr. Lovelace and his bride Cheri were there. They are looking forward to a Thanksgiving dinner prepared by their son-in-law Emeril LeGasse in New Orleans. They will also join Emeril and their daughter Alden in Pasadena for the Tournament of Roses Parade. Emeril is the Grand Marshal.
We asked Cheri how did she happen to marry Kent Jr. She said she was 10 years younger and when he called the Family home she answered and told him he must want to talk to her older sister. Kent Jr., who refused a Happy 70th birthday party suggested by Alden,said no, he wanted to talk to her.
At Wellington Mara's funeral Perian Conerly, Lulu Malvezzi Manness, and I had lunch at Jimmie Neary's with Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford. I told Frank that my pal Beaux Ball told me they had bought a house next to them in Colorado and were looking forward to being neighbors. Frank said this would be impossible since they sold their house shortly thereafter.
The All-American Football Foundation wants to honor and remember John Jewell Ball, hopefully at the Deep South Banquet of Champions in Jackson February ll. Beaux is checking to see if he can be there to represent his deceased brother. J.J. always looked forward to the LSU-Ole Miss game in Baton Rouge. He usually bought a new suit before the game and said that there were 60,000 fans observing him in his new suit.
Ed Wilburn Hooker and his family will again view the State-Ole Miss game in Destin. He is glad Ole Miss will allow cooking in the Grove next season so he can again prepare his delicious Brie Burgers, which Emeril had said that they were outstanding.
At this year's LSU-Ole Miss game the Rebels played well for a while against the nation's top-ranked football team going into Thanksgiving weekend. BenJarvis Green Ellis got his 1000 career yards but could not get vital yards from the one, fumbling and LSU recovering which hurt the Red and considerably.Later Ole Miss was on the Tiger three, first down, and got a delay in game penalty followed by a 1-yard penalty.
Next spring management of the clock should be stressed. I know some of the players had academic problems, but how tough is it to read a clock?
****
While some 20 players were involved in swiping motel towels this is nothing new in college athletics. When I was working at Mississippi Southern a huge married tackle came home from a road trip and his bride unpacked his bag and found two motel towels. She chewed the husky out and told him she did not marry a towel thief. Several weeks later on another road trip in Louisiana the players carrying their baggage were sorry to see the hotel manager racing out to the bus and telling Coach Pie Vann that his players had borrowed some towels. Pie told his gridders to unpack their bags and sure enough there were motel towels therein. Only one bag did not have a towel, the big husky whose wife had threatened to leave him. Pie said he was glad that he had at least one honest player while giving the hotel manager back his towels.
There was no suspension , however, just laps to run when the team got back to Hattiesburg.
-----30-----
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Outstanding Scholar Athlete Class
LOS ANGELES------It was a pleasure to attend the 2007 Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Awards Dinner in the historic Orpheum Theater while in town to have an early Happy 48th Birthday celebration with my eldest son Michael Sean McDowell who is the group's Chairman of the Board.
Seated next to Warren Beatty and his lovely wife Annette Benning it was a most enjoyable evening. After our introduction Warren asked where I was from. I replied: Mississippi. He said he thought the accent was familiar since he was originally from Virginia. I asked him whether he planned to enter the political scene since it had been rumored he might. He said "No."
My son, who is the Senior Director of Cultural Tourism for Los Angeles, Inc. and a graduate of the University of Virginia lives in Sherman Oaks. His neighbors include Lilly Tomlin and Loni Anderson. Had I been there I would have offered to trim Loni's hedges.
Los Angeles was always special to me, serving there in World War II at the Naval Armory located in Chavez Ravine, a stone's throw from Dodger Stadium, I was a Regular at the Hollywood Canteen where the guest hosts included: Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Gene Tierney, Olivia de Haviland and one evening Rita Hayworth, who helped husband-to-be Orson Welles, an amateur magician, sawing her in half despite the protests of service men in attendance.
*******
The National Football Foundation's 2007 Scholar-Athlete Class is again outstanding.Fifteen seniors will receive $15,000 grants including Mississippian Michael Eubanks, a Pre-Med major from Delta State University. Look forward to seeing this group in New York Dec. 4 at the Waldorf Astoria.
Eubanks and Danny Woodhead of Chadron State are the two Division Two honorees. Erid Safran of LMount Union and Jake Weller of Illinois College are the Division 3 honorees. Nick Clark of Texas State University and Brandon Cramer of the University of Dayton are the Division l-AA selectees.
The nine Division 1-A honorees include: Heisman Trophy candidate Dennis Dixon of the University of Oregon, Alex Brink, Washington State, Paul Smith, University of Tulsa, Jacob T Tamme, University of Kentucky, Brandon Renkart, Rutgers University, Mike Klinkenburg, University of Iowa, J. Leman, University of Illinois, Dallas Griffin, University of Texas, and John Carlson, University of Notre Dame.
The best of this group will receive the Draddy Trophy in honor and memory of the NFFHF's great chairman Vincent DePaul, of whom I was associated with for 27 and a half years as Executive Director, Executive Secretary, Administrator of Chapters and Director of Public Relations. I traveled 262 days a year helping build the Foundation into a national organization and have two ex-wives to prove it.
*****
Look forward to also attending the presentation of the Conerly Trophy Nov. 27 at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame to the outstanding Magnolia Player of the Year. I am waiting until the final regular season game to cast my ballot, after all of the returns are in. The same is true for my Heisman Trophy Ballot. The Heisman Dinner, which I have attended every year since 1962, is December 10 in New York.
Seated next to Warren Beatty and his lovely wife Annette Benning it was a most enjoyable evening. After our introduction Warren asked where I was from. I replied: Mississippi. He said he thought the accent was familiar since he was originally from Virginia. I asked him whether he planned to enter the political scene since it had been rumored he might. He said "No."
My son, who is the Senior Director of Cultural Tourism for Los Angeles, Inc. and a graduate of the University of Virginia lives in Sherman Oaks. His neighbors include Lilly Tomlin and Loni Anderson. Had I been there I would have offered to trim Loni's hedges.
Los Angeles was always special to me, serving there in World War II at the Naval Armory located in Chavez Ravine, a stone's throw from Dodger Stadium, I was a Regular at the Hollywood Canteen where the guest hosts included: Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Gene Tierney, Olivia de Haviland and one evening Rita Hayworth, who helped husband-to-be Orson Welles, an amateur magician, sawing her in half despite the protests of service men in attendance.
*******
The National Football Foundation's 2007 Scholar-Athlete Class is again outstanding.Fifteen seniors will receive $15,000 grants including Mississippian Michael Eubanks, a Pre-Med major from Delta State University. Look forward to seeing this group in New York Dec. 4 at the Waldorf Astoria.
Eubanks and Danny Woodhead of Chadron State are the two Division Two honorees. Erid Safran of LMount Union and Jake Weller of Illinois College are the Division 3 honorees. Nick Clark of Texas State University and Brandon Cramer of the University of Dayton are the Division l-AA selectees.
The nine Division 1-A honorees include: Heisman Trophy candidate Dennis Dixon of the University of Oregon, Alex Brink, Washington State, Paul Smith, University of Tulsa, Jacob T Tamme, University of Kentucky, Brandon Renkart, Rutgers University, Mike Klinkenburg, University of Iowa, J. Leman, University of Illinois, Dallas Griffin, University of Texas, and John Carlson, University of Notre Dame.
The best of this group will receive the Draddy Trophy in honor and memory of the NFFHF's great chairman Vincent DePaul, of whom I was associated with for 27 and a half years as Executive Director, Executive Secretary, Administrator of Chapters and Director of Public Relations. I traveled 262 days a year helping build the Foundation into a national organization and have two ex-wives to prove it.
*****
Look forward to also attending the presentation of the Conerly Trophy Nov. 27 at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame to the outstanding Magnolia Player of the Year. I am waiting until the final regular season game to cast my ballot, after all of the returns are in. The same is true for my Heisman Trophy Ballot. The Heisman Dinner, which I have attended every year since 1962, is December 10 in New York.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Great Spot for an Upset
OXFORD---Ole Mississippi, with just three victories, has Number Two national championship contender just where they want them. Last year the Johnny Rebs had the Bayou Bengals on the ropes,when LSU fumbled and a Rebel lineman, rather than falling on the ball, tried to pick it up and run with it and fumbled, LSU recovering.
The Tigers went on to score the winning touchdown. Ole Miss played both Florida and Alabama to the wire this year only to bow in the closing moments. LSU has to march into Vaught Hemingway Stadium over-confident on Nov. 20.
Can Ed Orgeron rally his charges to threaten the Tigers? First he must get his suspended players back on board, and LSU must do the same. Never in the history of college football have there been more suspended players--a sign of the times to be sure.
But Ole Miss has LSU just where they want them---over confident.
******
Mississippi State can clinch a bowl bid by beating Alabama this weekend. The Crimson could have a let-down after their fine performance against LSU. State had a week off to get ready for the Tide. Sylvester Croom, passed over for the head coaching job at Alabama, would like nothing better than trimming his alma mater.State beat Bama a year ago and will be trying to do it again. Do not sell the Maroons short.
***
Southern Mississippi looked like a different team in rebounding from its one-sided loss to Central Florida and throttling UAB in Birmingham. The Golden Eagles are getting some of their walking wounded back for the November encounters. The battle with Memphis is always a thriller.
Colonel Eddie Kauchick, the former linebacker in the 1950's , will entertain some 400 Camp Shelby soldiers with a pre-game cookout as he did a year ago. Next stop for these Soldiers will likely be Iraq. They appreciate what Eddie is doing. They will also be special guests at the Southern-Memphis football game
****
Millsaps, Mississippi College and Delta State continue to chalk up victories. So does Jackson State in its quest for a SWAC football championship.
****
The Jackson Touchdown Club's final meeting of the year will feature honoring outstanding college seniors from the Magnolia State schools. Under Ross Barnett's presidency this has been a banner year for the Touchdown Club. Vince Lombardi Jr. was an outstanding speaker. He has given the All-American Football Foundation approval to name its Outstanding Pro Football Coach in honor of his late Father. His Dad was Charlie Conerly's backfield coach with the New York Giants before he became head coach of the Green Bay Packers.
Lombardi was stuck in the New Jersey high school coaching system for years before Colonel Earl (Red) Blaik hired him to come to West Point and help coach the Brave Old Army team.
We plan to again attend the Army-Navy game in Baltimore this year. I have attended every one of these games since 1962 with the exception of the game played in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Going to Los Angeles this week to help celebrate my son Michael's 48th birthday. He is the Senior Director of Cultural Affairs for Los Angeles.
--30------
The Tigers went on to score the winning touchdown. Ole Miss played both Florida and Alabama to the wire this year only to bow in the closing moments. LSU has to march into Vaught Hemingway Stadium over-confident on Nov. 20.
Can Ed Orgeron rally his charges to threaten the Tigers? First he must get his suspended players back on board, and LSU must do the same. Never in the history of college football have there been more suspended players--a sign of the times to be sure.
But Ole Miss has LSU just where they want them---over confident.
******
Mississippi State can clinch a bowl bid by beating Alabama this weekend. The Crimson could have a let-down after their fine performance against LSU. State had a week off to get ready for the Tide. Sylvester Croom, passed over for the head coaching job at Alabama, would like nothing better than trimming his alma mater.State beat Bama a year ago and will be trying to do it again. Do not sell the Maroons short.
***
Southern Mississippi looked like a different team in rebounding from its one-sided loss to Central Florida and throttling UAB in Birmingham. The Golden Eagles are getting some of their walking wounded back for the November encounters. The battle with Memphis is always a thriller.
Colonel Eddie Kauchick, the former linebacker in the 1950's , will entertain some 400 Camp Shelby soldiers with a pre-game cookout as he did a year ago. Next stop for these Soldiers will likely be Iraq. They appreciate what Eddie is doing. They will also be special guests at the Southern-Memphis football game
****
Millsaps, Mississippi College and Delta State continue to chalk up victories. So does Jackson State in its quest for a SWAC football championship.
****
The Jackson Touchdown Club's final meeting of the year will feature honoring outstanding college seniors from the Magnolia State schools. Under Ross Barnett's presidency this has been a banner year for the Touchdown Club. Vince Lombardi Jr. was an outstanding speaker. He has given the All-American Football Foundation approval to name its Outstanding Pro Football Coach in honor of his late Father. His Dad was Charlie Conerly's backfield coach with the New York Giants before he became head coach of the Green Bay Packers.
Lombardi was stuck in the New Jersey high school coaching system for years before Colonel Earl (Red) Blaik hired him to come to West Point and help coach the Brave Old Army team.
We plan to again attend the Army-Navy game in Baltimore this year. I have attended every one of these games since 1962 with the exception of the game played in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Going to Los Angeles this week to help celebrate my son Michael's 48th birthday. He is the Senior Director of Cultural Affairs for Los Angeles.
--30------
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Discipline Needed in Colleges
Recruiting was never more painful than now. Top high school players have academic and disciplinary problems like never before. Coaches must take a more serious look at the talent they seek to build strong football teams.
Players are breaking training in many schools, coast-to-coast. Joe Paterno made some of his players clean out the stadium the next day after a game. Do you discipline a player and hurt your team in the season's homestretch with lucrative bowl bids awaiting the victor?
Johnny Vaught at Ole Miss put one of his best players off the team, and days later addressed the team and told them that only they could reinstate the player. The player apologized to his teammates and then the players took a vote and voted him back on the team. The player helped Ole Miss crush LSU in the famous 1959 rematch in the Sugar Bowl, 21-0, holding Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon to practically minus yardage in the process.
The Rebels had to have the right kind of leadership to do this. They knew how much their teammate meant to the team, but at the same time knew the player was going to have to straighten up and fly right. The player realized he would have to get back on the team, play his final season and get a pro football opportunity which he did for over a dozen years.
The players helped their teammate change his life in the process by wisely giving him a another chance. This was another reason why Johnny Vaught was one of the best college football coaches of all time.
After two great years in 1947 and 1948 Vaught's Rebels slumped and the alumni began to howl. Before the Golden Egg collision with arch-rival Mississippi9 State, the Rebel captain in a pre-game talk told his squad that they needed to win one for the coach. Vaught stood up and said: "Don't win it for me, win it for yourselves." And they did.
******
Sylvester Croom will get some Coach of the Year support in his fine turnaround at Mississippi State. Beating Kentucky in Lexington was even sweeter than the win over Auburn on the Plains although beating Tommy Tuberville's Tigers was delicious for the Maroons as well. One more win will put State in the bowl picture. The SEC has eight definite bowl tie-ins. Bowl eligible teams have had to stay home uninvited. This happened to Ole Miss not too long ago.
1948 was even worse. Ole Miss went 8-1 losing only to Tulane, then whacked State in the Golden Egg tussle, 34-7, and then waited for the Cotton Bowl phone to ring. It never did. The Cotton Bowl invited the University of Oregon instead and Ole Miss stayed home. Of course, there were only a handful of bowl games then. To this day it leaves a bitter taste.
****
Southern Miss looked pretty bad losing to Central Florida in Hattiesburg,a couple of weeks after losing to Rice in the Hub City. The Golden Eagles must get back in the win column to qualify for a bowl bid. UAB will be waiting in the weeds to top USM in Birmingham this weekend.
Millsaps" loss to Trinity in Jackson was the most bizarre finish in college football with over a dozen laterals in the final seconds leading to a loss for the Majors. It overshadowed the famous California-Stanford game. The only thing missing was the Millsaps band. Whoever set off those victory for Millsaps made the finish even more unbelievable.
Let the November football warfare begin.
---30--------
Players are breaking training in many schools, coast-to-coast. Joe Paterno made some of his players clean out the stadium the next day after a game. Do you discipline a player and hurt your team in the season's homestretch with lucrative bowl bids awaiting the victor?
Johnny Vaught at Ole Miss put one of his best players off the team, and days later addressed the team and told them that only they could reinstate the player. The player apologized to his teammates and then the players took a vote and voted him back on the team. The player helped Ole Miss crush LSU in the famous 1959 rematch in the Sugar Bowl, 21-0, holding Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon to practically minus yardage in the process.
The Rebels had to have the right kind of leadership to do this. They knew how much their teammate meant to the team, but at the same time knew the player was going to have to straighten up and fly right. The player realized he would have to get back on the team, play his final season and get a pro football opportunity which he did for over a dozen years.
The players helped their teammate change his life in the process by wisely giving him a another chance. This was another reason why Johnny Vaught was one of the best college football coaches of all time.
After two great years in 1947 and 1948 Vaught's Rebels slumped and the alumni began to howl. Before the Golden Egg collision with arch-rival Mississippi9 State, the Rebel captain in a pre-game talk told his squad that they needed to win one for the coach. Vaught stood up and said: "Don't win it for me, win it for yourselves." And they did.
******
Sylvester Croom will get some Coach of the Year support in his fine turnaround at Mississippi State. Beating Kentucky in Lexington was even sweeter than the win over Auburn on the Plains although beating Tommy Tuberville's Tigers was delicious for the Maroons as well. One more win will put State in the bowl picture. The SEC has eight definite bowl tie-ins. Bowl eligible teams have had to stay home uninvited. This happened to Ole Miss not too long ago.
1948 was even worse. Ole Miss went 8-1 losing only to Tulane, then whacked State in the Golden Egg tussle, 34-7, and then waited for the Cotton Bowl phone to ring. It never did. The Cotton Bowl invited the University of Oregon instead and Ole Miss stayed home. Of course, there were only a handful of bowl games then. To this day it leaves a bitter taste.
****
Southern Miss looked pretty bad losing to Central Florida in Hattiesburg,a couple of weeks after losing to Rice in the Hub City. The Golden Eagles must get back in the win column to qualify for a bowl bid. UAB will be waiting in the weeds to top USM in Birmingham this weekend.
Millsaps" loss to Trinity in Jackson was the most bizarre finish in college football with over a dozen laterals in the final seconds leading to a loss for the Majors. It overshadowed the famous California-Stanford game. The only thing missing was the Millsaps band. Whoever set off those victory for Millsaps made the finish even more unbelievable.
Let the November football warfare begin.
---30--------
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Return to Notre Dame
SOUTH BEND-----The setting was perfect for a beautiful October afternoon. Arch-rival University of Southern California was coming to town. The Irish had defeated UCLA for its first victory 0f the season. The Men of Troy were trying to move back into the national championship season after being stunned by Stanford. The National Champion 1977 Irish team was celebrating its 30th reunion. Irish Coach Charlie Weis borrowed a trick from Dan Devine and dressed the 2007 ND team in bright green jerseys.
The Irish won the toss of the coin and elected to defer giving the South Benders first possession first possession of the ball. The the bottom dropped out and Pete Carroll's warriors gave Notre Dame a 38-0 shellacking before over 80,000 fans, one of the worst losses ever for the team that used to administer shellackings.
Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis,with a 10-year contract promised better days ahead. With an open date looming Weis chose to plan to attend a musical stage show in Chicago the following evening. Navy is the next opponent and the Sailors owe the Irish big time, dating back to the Roger Staubach days when the Midshipmen won the game.
The 1977 Irish, defeated only by Ole Miss in Jackson, switched quarterbacks after the defeat in Jackson on a hot summer-like afternoon decided to change quarterbacks. Rusty Lisch was benched and Dan Devine called on his replacement, Joe Montana, who guided the Green to victories the rest of the way and a Cotton Bowl victory over the University of Texas.
As Executive Director of the National Football Foundation I was in attendance in Dallas that afternoon, then polled our General Douglas MacArthur Bowl Committee and reported the results to Chairman Vincent DePaul Draddy,. The Irish shaded Bear Bryant's Alabama Crimson Tide for the coveted trophy, which displeased the Bear slightly more than somewhat .
In a pre-game picnic I joined members of the Frank Leahy family for refreshments. John Leahy, the secreetary-treasurer of the Leahy Lads, was on hand as were Ryan Leahy, who was a standout Notre Dame player, and the lovely Regan Leahy, who went to North Carolina and participated in athletics.
The Leahy Lads did not have their annual meeting this fall because of President Jerry Groom;s serious illness. John reported that Jerry was recovering from successful surgery. Groom was an All-America center at Notre Dame and later a pro standdout with the football Cardinals, who left Chicago to move to St. Louis.
Digger Phelps, the retired Notre Dame basketball coach, addressed the Pep Rally on Friday night. I have known Digger since his Rider College days in Trenton, N.J. when I was the Executive Sports Editor-Columnist of the Trenton Times and longtime Secretary-Treasurer of the Football Writers Association of New York.
I took my youngest son Patrick to South Bend when he was 12. We saw Digger at the Morris Inn after breakfast. I told him that Pat had hit 91 out of 100 free throws in the backyard the previous week. I thought that Digger would say: " Nice going, Pat. Keep this up and one day perhaps you can play for me at Notre Dame." Digger did not say this. He said: "Nice going, Pat. I bet you take a lot of money off the kids in the neighborhood."
Patrick is now a longtime lawyer in Jackson. His children, Jamey and Claire, play soccer in Jackson.
Southern Cal still hopes to play in a major bowl game and play for the national title with tough opposition remaining. Notre Dame has been eliminated from the bowl picture and concludes the season with Stanford, the team that beat USC. The Irish have some solid early commitments, and some were in attendance at the USC game. February signing date is a long way away.
*****
In Mississippi, only Southern Miss of the Big Three prevailed. Ole Miss was pitiful against Arkansas in Oxford after solid but losing showings against Florida and Alabama. West Virginia's national ranked Mountaineers were too strong for Mississippi State. The Egg Bowl battle in Starkville Turkey Friday probably favors the Maroons. . Both coaches, Sylvester Croom and Ed Orgeron needs to finish the season on a winning note for morale and recruiting purposes.
November could be cruel for both programs. Southern Miss tries to finish strong and bid for the Conference USA title. Jackson State lost go Grambling and needs to get back in the win column.
===30===
The Irish won the toss of the coin and elected to defer giving the South Benders first possession first possession of the ball. The the bottom dropped out and Pete Carroll's warriors gave Notre Dame a 38-0 shellacking before over 80,000 fans, one of the worst losses ever for the team that used to administer shellackings.
Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis,with a 10-year contract promised better days ahead. With an open date looming Weis chose to plan to attend a musical stage show in Chicago the following evening. Navy is the next opponent and the Sailors owe the Irish big time, dating back to the Roger Staubach days when the Midshipmen won the game.
The 1977 Irish, defeated only by Ole Miss in Jackson, switched quarterbacks after the defeat in Jackson on a hot summer-like afternoon decided to change quarterbacks. Rusty Lisch was benched and Dan Devine called on his replacement, Joe Montana, who guided the Green to victories the rest of the way and a Cotton Bowl victory over the University of Texas.
As Executive Director of the National Football Foundation I was in attendance in Dallas that afternoon, then polled our General Douglas MacArthur Bowl Committee and reported the results to Chairman Vincent DePaul Draddy,. The Irish shaded Bear Bryant's Alabama Crimson Tide for the coveted trophy, which displeased the Bear slightly more than somewhat .
In a pre-game picnic I joined members of the Frank Leahy family for refreshments. John Leahy, the secreetary-treasurer of the Leahy Lads, was on hand as were Ryan Leahy, who was a standout Notre Dame player, and the lovely Regan Leahy, who went to North Carolina and participated in athletics.
The Leahy Lads did not have their annual meeting this fall because of President Jerry Groom;s serious illness. John reported that Jerry was recovering from successful surgery. Groom was an All-America center at Notre Dame and later a pro standdout with the football Cardinals, who left Chicago to move to St. Louis.
Digger Phelps, the retired Notre Dame basketball coach, addressed the Pep Rally on Friday night. I have known Digger since his Rider College days in Trenton, N.J. when I was the Executive Sports Editor-Columnist of the Trenton Times and longtime Secretary-Treasurer of the Football Writers Association of New York.
I took my youngest son Patrick to South Bend when he was 12. We saw Digger at the Morris Inn after breakfast. I told him that Pat had hit 91 out of 100 free throws in the backyard the previous week. I thought that Digger would say: " Nice going, Pat. Keep this up and one day perhaps you can play for me at Notre Dame." Digger did not say this. He said: "Nice going, Pat. I bet you take a lot of money off the kids in the neighborhood."
Patrick is now a longtime lawyer in Jackson. His children, Jamey and Claire, play soccer in Jackson.
Southern Cal still hopes to play in a major bowl game and play for the national title with tough opposition remaining. Notre Dame has been eliminated from the bowl picture and concludes the season with Stanford, the team that beat USC. The Irish have some solid early commitments, and some were in attendance at the USC game. February signing date is a long way away.
*****
In Mississippi, only Southern Miss of the Big Three prevailed. Ole Miss was pitiful against Arkansas in Oxford after solid but losing showings against Florida and Alabama. West Virginia's national ranked Mountaineers were too strong for Mississippi State. The Egg Bowl battle in Starkville Turkey Friday probably favors the Maroons. . Both coaches, Sylvester Croom and Ed Orgeron needs to finish the season on a winning note for morale and recruiting purposes.
November could be cruel for both programs. Southern Miss tries to finish strong and bid for the Conference USA title. Jackson State lost go Grambling and needs to get back in the win column.
===30===
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Great Team Enjoys Homecoming
HATTIESBURG------Fifty five years ago a group of football players joined hands in Hattiesburg to build one of the best football teams in college football history. Head Coach Pie Vann, later elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, had two full time assistant coaches, Clyde (Heifer) Sutart, the backfield coach, and H.A. (Bear) Smith, the line coach, who specialized in end coaching. Vann, an old line coach, worked with the interior linemen.
The 1952 and 1953 team gathered for another reunion the night before this year's Southern Mississippi-Southern Methodist game. Southern Mississippi was known as Mississippi Southern in the Fifties. Their great players won Little All-American and Mid-Bracket All-America honors. None have been elected to the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame as yet.
The Honors Court needs to address this issue and do it now while some of these stalwarts are still alive. The 1952 team lost only to Alabama. The 1953 team beat Alabama, 25-19, and the University of Georgia, 14-0. Bart Starr was the Crimson quarterback, Zeke Bratkowski was the Bulldogs' signal caller. Red Drew coached the Tide, Wally Butts guided the Georgians.
Bratkowswki had been averaging two and three touchdown passes a game. The Black and Gold shut him down. Alabama had been picked by Grantland Rice to win the national title in hiss pre-season predictions. The Tide had bashed Syracuse in the Orange Bowl and had most of the
players returning. They had a big tackle named Sid Youngleman, who physically was stouter than anyone he had played to date.
Between the 1952 and 1953 seasons, two GI's had been recruited, a Marine named Don Owens, who was six-six and 260, and Jim (Coon Dog) Davis, 6-5 and 245. Davis was an eight year army veteran, Owens served four years in the Marines.
Southern also had a plucky little field general from a Junior College, Billy Jarrell of Pearl River and a senior right halfback named Tony Rouchon, who was also a champion Golden Glover. The two running backs, Fullback Bucky McElroy, and Left Halfback Hugh Laurin Pepper, had out-gained Heisman Trophy winner Billy Vessells and Fullback Buck McPhail of Oklahoma in 1952.
McElroy was a bull-dozing 200-pound senior from Monroe, La. tagged the Black Knight of the Bayous. He was not an African-American. Pepper was a jet-propelled 190-pound junior who was as swift as he was elusive.
Owens has passed on but Pepper, McElroy, Jarrell, Davis, and many of their teammates were back for the Reunion. A tribute was made to the teammates who had passed away, as well as their coaches, the one trainer Fly Oakes, who also was the equipment manager, and the athletic director Reed Green, who was the head coach before and after World War II.
Coon Dog Davis suggested the group also sing God Bless America, which they did. The Hattiesburg sports editor who covered the team, Ace Cleveland, also is deceased. So is the President Dr. R.C. Cook, who gave total support of the athletic program.
The Athletic Publicity Director was a red-head ex-sailor from Brookhaven Jimmie McDowell, who is still around after retiring as Executive Director of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame, residing in the East for 30 years before returning South to help launch the All-American Football Foundation in 1994 . Prior to joining the NFFHF McDowell had been a Sports Editor in Mississippi, Tennessee, and New Jersey. He also was the Administrator of the NFFHF and later Executive Director.
When he retired the NFFHF had 10,000 members, nearly 100 chapters , coast-to-coast, and $12,000,000 in the bank. McDowell traveled over 260 days a year in building the Foundation into a major national organization with two ex-wives to prove it.
In addition to McElroy, Pepper, Jarrell, Owens, Rouchon, and Davis, Southern had two stalwart ends, Stonewall Jackson Brumfield and Richard Caldwell, a great linebacker Jon T. Shepherd, who had ten flat speed, and an excellent place-kicker, McElroy. In 1953 players had to go both ways, McElroy played 60 minutes against Georgia. Pepper was a super pass defender and kick returner.
When Southern shocked the football world, much like Appalachian State upending Michigan this year, the sports world called it the biggest college upset since little Centre College went East to beat Harvard, sparked by a fellow named Bo McMillan.
There are other Little All-American who are not as yet in the College Football Hall of Fame and a special induction should be held in South Bend, Indiana, where the Hall is located and these well deserving "Small" College players should be inducted. And while they are still alive to smell the Roses.
----30--------
The 1952 and 1953 team gathered for another reunion the night before this year's Southern Mississippi-Southern Methodist game. Southern Mississippi was known as Mississippi Southern in the Fifties. Their great players won Little All-American and Mid-Bracket All-America honors. None have been elected to the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame as yet.
The Honors Court needs to address this issue and do it now while some of these stalwarts are still alive. The 1952 team lost only to Alabama. The 1953 team beat Alabama, 25-19, and the University of Georgia, 14-0. Bart Starr was the Crimson quarterback, Zeke Bratkowski was the Bulldogs' signal caller. Red Drew coached the Tide, Wally Butts guided the Georgians.
Bratkowswki had been averaging two and three touchdown passes a game. The Black and Gold shut him down. Alabama had been picked by Grantland Rice to win the national title in hiss pre-season predictions. The Tide had bashed Syracuse in the Orange Bowl and had most of the
players returning. They had a big tackle named Sid Youngleman, who physically was stouter than anyone he had played to date.
Between the 1952 and 1953 seasons, two GI's had been recruited, a Marine named Don Owens, who was six-six and 260, and Jim (Coon Dog) Davis, 6-5 and 245. Davis was an eight year army veteran, Owens served four years in the Marines.
Southern also had a plucky little field general from a Junior College, Billy Jarrell of Pearl River and a senior right halfback named Tony Rouchon, who was also a champion Golden Glover. The two running backs, Fullback Bucky McElroy, and Left Halfback Hugh Laurin Pepper, had out-gained Heisman Trophy winner Billy Vessells and Fullback Buck McPhail of Oklahoma in 1952.
McElroy was a bull-dozing 200-pound senior from Monroe, La. tagged the Black Knight of the Bayous. He was not an African-American. Pepper was a jet-propelled 190-pound junior who was as swift as he was elusive.
Owens has passed on but Pepper, McElroy, Jarrell, Davis, and many of their teammates were back for the Reunion. A tribute was made to the teammates who had passed away, as well as their coaches, the one trainer Fly Oakes, who also was the equipment manager, and the athletic director Reed Green, who was the head coach before and after World War II.
Coon Dog Davis suggested the group also sing God Bless America, which they did. The Hattiesburg sports editor who covered the team, Ace Cleveland, also is deceased. So is the President Dr. R.C. Cook, who gave total support of the athletic program.
The Athletic Publicity Director was a red-head ex-sailor from Brookhaven Jimmie McDowell, who is still around after retiring as Executive Director of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame, residing in the East for 30 years before returning South to help launch the All-American Football Foundation in 1994 . Prior to joining the NFFHF McDowell had been a Sports Editor in Mississippi, Tennessee, and New Jersey. He also was the Administrator of the NFFHF and later Executive Director.
When he retired the NFFHF had 10,000 members, nearly 100 chapters , coast-to-coast, and $12,000,000 in the bank. McDowell traveled over 260 days a year in building the Foundation into a major national organization with two ex-wives to prove it.
In addition to McElroy, Pepper, Jarrell, Owens, Rouchon, and Davis, Southern had two stalwart ends, Stonewall Jackson Brumfield and Richard Caldwell, a great linebacker Jon T. Shepherd, who had ten flat speed, and an excellent place-kicker, McElroy. In 1953 players had to go both ways, McElroy played 60 minutes against Georgia. Pepper was a super pass defender and kick returner.
When Southern shocked the football world, much like Appalachian State upending Michigan this year, the sports world called it the biggest college upset since little Centre College went East to beat Harvard, sparked by a fellow named Bo McMillan.
There are other Little All-American who are not as yet in the College Football Hall of Fame and a special induction should be held in South Bend, Indiana, where the Hall is located and these well deserving "Small" College players should be inducted. And while they are still alive to smell the Roses.
----30--------
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Homecoming at Ole Miss
OXFORD-----The Ole Miss Homecoming weekend was outstanding. Coupled with an Ole Miss shutout victory over Louisiana Tech, another fine group of alumns were inducted into the University's Alumni Hall of Fame: Dr. Wallace Conerly, General Augustus L. Collins, JamesMcClure, Jr., Nancy Van de Vate, and William F. Galtney, Jr.
Harold (Hardwood) Kelly, longtime Yazoo City educator and coach, and former Johnny Reb basketball star, received the Alumni Service Award.
Bill Galtney's tennis coach was Mack Cameron, a Jackson Touchdown Clubber, and author of a new book involving Al Capone and his Mississippi Gulf Coast days. One of Hardwood Kelly's students was an ambitious youngster,who ran for President of the Student Body as a high school junior and won, a lad named Haley Barbour.
Gus Collins was promoted to General while serving in Iraq. Jim McClure, like his Dad, has been prominent in alumni and athletic affairs during most of his life. Dr. Conerly was the Chief Executive Officer of the University Medical School in Jackson.
Markeeva Morgan was the recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumni Award, who served America well after 9/11 in New York. Morgan is destined for even greather things. Nancy Van de Vate, who lives now in Vienna, was delighted to be back on campus. A major author of marvelous musicals, she once taught Music Appreciation at Ole Miss, a course many athletes took at that time including a young kicker from the Gulf Coast , Robert Khayat.
Nancy admitted she told the football players the questions that might appear on exams. She said times were different then and some students had to drive to Memphis to buy whisky, which might have caused Chancellor Khayat some concern.
In the Grove the morning of the game Charlie Flowers and Billy Ray Adams, who won All-America acclaim expressed hope that the four game losing streak be broken. Squire Ed Wilburn Hooker and Dr. Shed Hill Roberson agreed. The fact that Kent Jr. Lovelace and Warren (Beaux) Ball were absent made their pals wonder whether they could have been the jinx.
When Beaux was President of the New Orleans Alumni Chapter R. Gerald Turner was Chancellor. Dr. Turner preferred to be introduced as R. Gerald. In his remarks he informed the group of the progress had made since he became Chancellor, also citing the beauty of the campus and the trees and shrubbery he had ordered planted. Beaux thanked Turner for being in New Orleans and said: "Jerry, we had no idea when we hired you as Chancellor we were getting a Johnny Appleseed."
Now the Ole Miss football team plays the Three A's in a row, Alabama and Arkansas in Oxford and Auburn in their backyard. Florida came close to beating LSU just as Ole Miss did a year ago. The Rebels' defense is much improved. They lost in overtime to the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa a year ago and will be piously pointing for an upset win at Vaught Hemingway Stadium.
Sylvester Croom hopes that the Bulldogs can shock Tennessee , while Southern Miss hosts
Southern Methodist in their Homecoming game Saturday.
Let the second half of the 2007 campaign begin.
---30-------
Harold (Hardwood) Kelly, longtime Yazoo City educator and coach, and former Johnny Reb basketball star, received the Alumni Service Award.
Bill Galtney's tennis coach was Mack Cameron, a Jackson Touchdown Clubber, and author of a new book involving Al Capone and his Mississippi Gulf Coast days. One of Hardwood Kelly's students was an ambitious youngster,who ran for President of the Student Body as a high school junior and won, a lad named Haley Barbour.
Gus Collins was promoted to General while serving in Iraq. Jim McClure, like his Dad, has been prominent in alumni and athletic affairs during most of his life. Dr. Conerly was the Chief Executive Officer of the University Medical School in Jackson.
Markeeva Morgan was the recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumni Award, who served America well after 9/11 in New York. Morgan is destined for even greather things. Nancy Van de Vate, who lives now in Vienna, was delighted to be back on campus. A major author of marvelous musicals, she once taught Music Appreciation at Ole Miss, a course many athletes took at that time including a young kicker from the Gulf Coast , Robert Khayat.
Nancy admitted she told the football players the questions that might appear on exams. She said times were different then and some students had to drive to Memphis to buy whisky, which might have caused Chancellor Khayat some concern.
In the Grove the morning of the game Charlie Flowers and Billy Ray Adams, who won All-America acclaim expressed hope that the four game losing streak be broken. Squire Ed Wilburn Hooker and Dr. Shed Hill Roberson agreed. The fact that Kent Jr. Lovelace and Warren (Beaux) Ball were absent made their pals wonder whether they could have been the jinx.
When Beaux was President of the New Orleans Alumni Chapter R. Gerald Turner was Chancellor. Dr. Turner preferred to be introduced as R. Gerald. In his remarks he informed the group of the progress had made since he became Chancellor, also citing the beauty of the campus and the trees and shrubbery he had ordered planted. Beaux thanked Turner for being in New Orleans and said: "Jerry, we had no idea when we hired you as Chancellor we were getting a Johnny Appleseed."
Now the Ole Miss football team plays the Three A's in a row, Alabama and Arkansas in Oxford and Auburn in their backyard. Florida came close to beating LSU just as Ole Miss did a year ago. The Rebels' defense is much improved. They lost in overtime to the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa a year ago and will be piously pointing for an upset win at Vaught Hemingway Stadium.
Sylvester Croom hopes that the Bulldogs can shock Tennessee , while Southern Miss hosts
Southern Methodist in their Homecoming game Saturday.
Let the second half of the 2007 campaign begin.
---30-------
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Mid-Year Football Exams
Potential collegiate Champions went down in flames as the 2007 campaign approached the half-way mark. Alabama's balloon was busted with two straight losses. Oklahoma was drilled by Colorado. Rutgers was shocked by Maryland in their Raritan Valley backyard. Texas bowed to Kansas State with its field general injured. Washington scared Southern Cal. Florida again lost to Auburn.
Home grown Ole Miss, Southern Miss, and Mississippi State came out on the short end of the count once again. Southern's loss to a winless Rice University in Hattiesburg with two quarterbacks injured was one of the biggest upsets of the new season, particularly with the Golden Eagles a 20-point favorite. State and Ole Miss played South Carolina and Georgia well for a while then wilted in the second half.
Southern's next test is a Homecoming clash with Southern Methodist. On this second Saturday in October Southern's famed 1952 and 1953 Giant Killers will have a Reunion as will the 1982 USM team which beat Bear Bryant's Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa. Jim Carmody,who should be in Southern's M Club Hall of Fame was the winning coach that day. His star was Quarterback Reggie Collier.
Hall of Fame Coach Pie Vann coached the 1952 and 1953 Black and Gold brigade, featuring one of College Football's famed one-two punch, Halfback Hugh Laurin Pepper and Bucky McElroy, the Black Knight of the Bayous. Both Pepper and McElroy should be elected to the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame. Both were Little All-America selections.
Pepper did not come back for his senior year, accepting the Pittsburgh Pirates' $40,000 baseball bonus offer.Bonus Babies had to stay with the big club for two years in those days which hurt their development. It would have been better for Pepper to pitch every fourth day in the Minors than sit on the bench with the Pirates.
Ole Miss made a big mistake when Jim Carmody was not named Billy Brewer's successor. the job going to Joe Lee Dunn, who lasted just one season. Carmody went on to scout for Arizona for 10 years before retiring. His players called him the "Big Ugly" and his Southern Miss defense carried the tag of " Ugly Boys."
Southern's third straight loss was unusual for Coach Jeff Bower, who has fielded winning teams throughout his career. Sylvester Croom's Mississippi State team still dreams of a winning season and a bowl invitation. Ed Orgeron's Johnny Rebs hope to regroup with home games with Louisiana Tech, Alabama, Arkansas, Northwestern Louisiana State and LSU. Ole Miss has LSU on the ropes in Baton Rouge last year, then could not cash in on the opportunity.
******
I enjoyed again attending the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference annual meeting on Cape Cod. Rudy Keeling of Emerson College is the new Commissioner. Retired ECAC Commissioners Scotty Whitelaw and Clayt Chapman were there to welcome the new Commissioner. Jack Daly, the famous New England teller of tales provided entertainment at the Clambake. The All American Football Foundation's next Banquet of Champions will be Dec. 6 in Newton, Mass. between the College Football Hall of Fame Dinner and the Heisman Trophy Banquet. I attended my first Hall of Fame Dinner and Heisman Dinner in 1962 as Executive Sports Editor of the Trenton (N. J. ) Times
I always enjoy seeing Paddock restauranteur John Zartarian at the Cape. John and Emeril LeGasse are longtime friends. Emeril hails from nearby Falls River. He worked in Hyannis in his early cooking days. The final night of the ECAC meeting took place at the Tug Boat Restaurant featuring shrimp, clams, and oysters.
****
Back in Jackson my daughter, Joanna, grand daughter Jessica Leroy, and I enjoyed seeing Andrew Lloyd Webber's Classic Evita, starring Cameron Wade, Omar Lopez -Cepero, and Phillip Peterson at Thalia Mara Hall. All were outstanding and are ready for Broadway, truly stars of tomorrow.
----30------
Home grown Ole Miss, Southern Miss, and Mississippi State came out on the short end of the count once again. Southern's loss to a winless Rice University in Hattiesburg with two quarterbacks injured was one of the biggest upsets of the new season, particularly with the Golden Eagles a 20-point favorite. State and Ole Miss played South Carolina and Georgia well for a while then wilted in the second half.
Southern's next test is a Homecoming clash with Southern Methodist. On this second Saturday in October Southern's famed 1952 and 1953 Giant Killers will have a Reunion as will the 1982 USM team which beat Bear Bryant's Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa. Jim Carmody,who should be in Southern's M Club Hall of Fame was the winning coach that day. His star was Quarterback Reggie Collier.
Hall of Fame Coach Pie Vann coached the 1952 and 1953 Black and Gold brigade, featuring one of College Football's famed one-two punch, Halfback Hugh Laurin Pepper and Bucky McElroy, the Black Knight of the Bayous. Both Pepper and McElroy should be elected to the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame. Both were Little All-America selections.
Pepper did not come back for his senior year, accepting the Pittsburgh Pirates' $40,000 baseball bonus offer.Bonus Babies had to stay with the big club for two years in those days which hurt their development. It would have been better for Pepper to pitch every fourth day in the Minors than sit on the bench with the Pirates.
Ole Miss made a big mistake when Jim Carmody was not named Billy Brewer's successor. the job going to Joe Lee Dunn, who lasted just one season. Carmody went on to scout for Arizona for 10 years before retiring. His players called him the "Big Ugly" and his Southern Miss defense carried the tag of " Ugly Boys."
Southern's third straight loss was unusual for Coach Jeff Bower, who has fielded winning teams throughout his career. Sylvester Croom's Mississippi State team still dreams of a winning season and a bowl invitation. Ed Orgeron's Johnny Rebs hope to regroup with home games with Louisiana Tech, Alabama, Arkansas, Northwestern Louisiana State and LSU. Ole Miss has LSU on the ropes in Baton Rouge last year, then could not cash in on the opportunity.
******
I enjoyed again attending the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference annual meeting on Cape Cod. Rudy Keeling of Emerson College is the new Commissioner. Retired ECAC Commissioners Scotty Whitelaw and Clayt Chapman were there to welcome the new Commissioner. Jack Daly, the famous New England teller of tales provided entertainment at the Clambake. The All American Football Foundation's next Banquet of Champions will be Dec. 6 in Newton, Mass. between the College Football Hall of Fame Dinner and the Heisman Trophy Banquet. I attended my first Hall of Fame Dinner and Heisman Dinner in 1962 as Executive Sports Editor of the Trenton (N. J. ) Times
I always enjoy seeing Paddock restauranteur John Zartarian at the Cape. John and Emeril LeGasse are longtime friends. Emeril hails from nearby Falls River. He worked in Hyannis in his early cooking days. The final night of the ECAC meeting took place at the Tug Boat Restaurant featuring shrimp, clams, and oysters.
****
Back in Jackson my daughter, Joanna, grand daughter Jessica Leroy, and I enjoyed seeing Andrew Lloyd Webber's Classic Evita, starring Cameron Wade, Omar Lopez -Cepero, and Phillip Peterson at Thalia Mara Hall. All were outstanding and are ready for Broadway, truly stars of tomorrow.
----30------
Sunday, September 23, 2007
National Champions Win
OXFORD----Urban Meyer brought his defending National Champion Florida Gators to Lafayette County and his first visit ever to William Faulkner's home town was one that he will remember. So will the plus 55,000 fans in attendance.
Ole Miss gave the Gators a tougher battle than the University of Tennessee the previous Saturday although on the short end of the 30-24 score. Orange Bowl and Citrus Bowl scouts were on hand for the tussle, not to overlook 100 percent attendance of the Wild Bunch, the class of the Tail Gate crowd in the Grove.
All-American Charlie Flowers was particularly pleased that the Red and Blue fought to the finish just as they had done against Missouri, also undefeated as October began. Flowers, Kent Jr. Lovelace, Warren (Beaux) Ball, Dr. Shed Hill Roberson, Squire Ed Wilburn Hooker, Holcombe Hector and their better halves hosted the Tail Gate, all bringing delicious food not to overlook the pack of nabs contributed by Kent Jr. As a guest I brought delicious chicken.
The group was pleased with the scrap shown by Ed Orgeron's Rebels. Next stop the University of Georgia, overtime conqueror of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Ole Miss had the Bulldogs on the ropes in a controversial loss in Oxford. Playing in Athens the Rebels hope to catch the Bullies still celebrating the big win over the Red Elephants before returning to Oxford to host a dangerous Louisiana Tech team in this year's Homecoming tussle.
The Wild Bunch recalled their college days and extra curricular outing at the Plantation, a Memphis club sprinkled with Elvis Presley Mafia types who resented their ladies dancing with an Ole Miss man. A scrap developed with Flowers, Lovelace, Hooker, and Ball involved.
The Memphis delegation did not fight fair, the lads told me at the Tail Gate, using metal objects to get their attention. Bouncers also got involved and the Ole Miss men wound up outside the establishment in a ditch. They asked one of the Bouncers why they took sides and the answer was that if they had sided with the Ole Miss lads they would also had been out-numbered.
The Red and Blue lads thought about returning inside to resume the scrap but Flowers said he had already given a peak performance and would let matters stand for another day.
Florida still has the big showdown with LSU on the horizon. They could actually meet twice--in regular season and again in the championship battle in Atlanta. Tim Tebow , who should win the Heisman before he concludes his Florida career, gave an electric-like performance against Ole Miss. He was the difference with his running and passing performance.
Trailing 27-9 Ole Miss rallied just as they had done against Missouri. Close and almost still does not count. However, if Ole Miss can play Florida to a practical standstill why can't do the same with Alabama, Arkansas, and LSU at Vaught Hemingway Stadium?
Seth Adams, bouncing back from an injury, also performed superbly.He can be the difference in a big game between now and the end of the season. Florida shut down Ben Jarvis Green Ellis,. limiting the Rebs' best runner to 37 yards on ll carries. If he is going to win sectional and national All-Star recognition he must get rolling again.
Adams' 77 yard bomb to Mike Wallace is proof that the senior is coming of age as a quarterback. Ole Miss might not qualify as a bowl participant this year but will decide who will perform in post-season play. If Ole Miss could upend Georgia the Rebels would certainly receive a shot in the arm. The Orange and Citrus Bowl scouts had to be impressed.
Mississippi State, Millsaps, Jackson State, Delta State, and Mississippi College prevailed . The Choctaws are still undefeated. Sylevester Croom's Bulldogs journey to Columbia S.C. to play Steve Spurrier's South Carolina in another key SEC engagement. If State can prevail that would give them four victories and two away from a bowl game.
Nationally,despite a poor start, Michigan is still unbeaten in the Big Ten and the win over Joe Paterno's Penn State team was impressive. Southern California looks better every Saturday. Notre Dame continues to stumble with is worst start ever. Pete Boone of Ole Miss needs to pick up the telephone and call Notre Dame and work out at least a four-game series. This would give Ole Miss national exposure as well, helping their recruiting in the process. As I have told Notre Dame the Irish and the Rebels, all even at 1-1 should get back together.
---30-----
Ole Miss gave the Gators a tougher battle than the University of Tennessee the previous Saturday although on the short end of the 30-24 score. Orange Bowl and Citrus Bowl scouts were on hand for the tussle, not to overlook 100 percent attendance of the Wild Bunch, the class of the Tail Gate crowd in the Grove.
All-American Charlie Flowers was particularly pleased that the Red and Blue fought to the finish just as they had done against Missouri, also undefeated as October began. Flowers, Kent Jr. Lovelace, Warren (Beaux) Ball, Dr. Shed Hill Roberson, Squire Ed Wilburn Hooker, Holcombe Hector and their better halves hosted the Tail Gate, all bringing delicious food not to overlook the pack of nabs contributed by Kent Jr. As a guest I brought delicious chicken.
The group was pleased with the scrap shown by Ed Orgeron's Rebels. Next stop the University of Georgia, overtime conqueror of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Ole Miss had the Bulldogs on the ropes in a controversial loss in Oxford. Playing in Athens the Rebels hope to catch the Bullies still celebrating the big win over the Red Elephants before returning to Oxford to host a dangerous Louisiana Tech team in this year's Homecoming tussle.
The Wild Bunch recalled their college days and extra curricular outing at the Plantation, a Memphis club sprinkled with Elvis Presley Mafia types who resented their ladies dancing with an Ole Miss man. A scrap developed with Flowers, Lovelace, Hooker, and Ball involved.
The Memphis delegation did not fight fair, the lads told me at the Tail Gate, using metal objects to get their attention. Bouncers also got involved and the Ole Miss men wound up outside the establishment in a ditch. They asked one of the Bouncers why they took sides and the answer was that if they had sided with the Ole Miss lads they would also had been out-numbered.
The Red and Blue lads thought about returning inside to resume the scrap but Flowers said he had already given a peak performance and would let matters stand for another day.
Florida still has the big showdown with LSU on the horizon. They could actually meet twice--in regular season and again in the championship battle in Atlanta. Tim Tebow , who should win the Heisman before he concludes his Florida career, gave an electric-like performance against Ole Miss. He was the difference with his running and passing performance.
Trailing 27-9 Ole Miss rallied just as they had done against Missouri. Close and almost still does not count. However, if Ole Miss can play Florida to a practical standstill why can't do the same with Alabama, Arkansas, and LSU at Vaught Hemingway Stadium?
Seth Adams, bouncing back from an injury, also performed superbly.He can be the difference in a big game between now and the end of the season. Florida shut down Ben Jarvis Green Ellis,. limiting the Rebs' best runner to 37 yards on ll carries. If he is going to win sectional and national All-Star recognition he must get rolling again.
Adams' 77 yard bomb to Mike Wallace is proof that the senior is coming of age as a quarterback. Ole Miss might not qualify as a bowl participant this year but will decide who will perform in post-season play. If Ole Miss could upend Georgia the Rebels would certainly receive a shot in the arm. The Orange and Citrus Bowl scouts had to be impressed.
Mississippi State, Millsaps, Jackson State, Delta State, and Mississippi College prevailed . The Choctaws are still undefeated. Sylevester Croom's Bulldogs journey to Columbia S.C. to play Steve Spurrier's South Carolina in another key SEC engagement. If State can prevail that would give them four victories and two away from a bowl game.
Nationally,despite a poor start, Michigan is still unbeaten in the Big Ten and the win over Joe Paterno's Penn State team was impressive. Southern California looks better every Saturday. Notre Dame continues to stumble with is worst start ever. Pete Boone of Ole Miss needs to pick up the telephone and call Notre Dame and work out at least a four-game series. This would give Ole Miss national exposure as well, helping their recruiting in the process. As I have told Notre Dame the Irish and the Rebels, all even at 1-1 should get back together.
---30-----
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Shockin Upsets Continue
by JIMMIE McDOWELL
In the third week of the 2007 college football campaign shockers continue to transpire the defeat by UCLA at the hands of the Universityof Utah in Salt Lake City, the near defeat of the University of Texas in Orlando, Auburn's loss to Mississippi State, and Louisville's setback in Lexington against fast-improving University of Kentucky garnered much of the spotlight.
Sylvester Croom, on the hot seat at Mississippi State, turned in one of the best coaching jobs of the week in the Maroons' invasion of Auburn. The former University of Alabama standout had to enjoy this sweet victory, a year after beating his alma mater in Tuscaloosa. Suddenly, Sly might become an early entry in the SEC Coach of the Year competition.
It takes four years, more likely five, for a new coach to get his program moving. Sly's arch-rival Ed Orgeron would agree. Ole Miss' resounding loss to Vanderbilt in Nashville looks quite grim with defending national champion Florida invading Oxford this weekend. The Rebels then invade Athens to play Georgia. The Rebs do play Alabama and LSU at home but must make massive improvement to even think about winning against these high-powered foes.
Alabama won a thriller in the final moments against a good Arkansas team and the Tide appears ready to be a serious contender in the West, LSU's leading challenger in that division.
On the national level Michigan is still unbeaten in the Big Ten and the one-sided win over Notre Dame has to revive Wolverines dreams of a Conference title. Ohio State looked very good beating the University of Washington. Northwestern's defeat at the hands of Duke was a shocker, too.
In this third year at Notre Dame Charlie Weis' recruiting does not look so good. He had been discussed as a possible next coach of the New York Giants where he got his start in Pro Football.Remember when Golden Boy Paul Hornung urged his alma mater to lower the entrance requirements and was fired. I was in the press box a couple of years later when Hornung returned from the playing field where he had watched the University of Southern California warm up. He was asked how did the Trojans look.
Hornung said for every big player Notre Dame had USC had five.Every school must concentrate more on speed to blend with size. Florida really proved it by overwhelming Ohio State in last year's national championship game.
Loyal Ole Miss rooter Mitch Lavinghouze attended his 402nd consecutive game watching the Rebs perform. TheNashville trip was a long ride home. Going into the Florida game Buck Howell decided to not make the trip to Oxford and had a hernia operation.
There is genuine concern about the Rebels' poor defensive performance. Major recruiting of high school and junior college standouts who can qualify academically is a must if Ed Orgeron's tour of duty is going to be a success.
Southern Mississippi scored an important victory in Greenville S.C. over East Carolina State, avenging an overtime loss in Hattiesburg in 2006. The Eagles now travel to Boise to play rugged Boise State, coming off with an imposing victory over Joe Glenn's Wyoming Cowboys.
Southern playing three road games in a row is tough. A huge weekend shapes up Oct. 12-13 in Hattiesburg when USM celebrates Homecoming against SMU. Not only will Jim Carmody, Reggie Collier and Company have a reunion, but so will the great 1952-53-54 Southerners. Quarterback Billy Jarrell does a masterful job keeping in tough with his teammates, which includes one of College Football's all-time one-two punches Hugh Lauirin Pepper and Bucky McElroy and the great end Stonewall Jackson Brumfield, all in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
---30-----
In the third week of the 2007 college football campaign shockers continue to transpire the defeat by UCLA at the hands of the Universityof Utah in Salt Lake City, the near defeat of the University of Texas in Orlando, Auburn's loss to Mississippi State, and Louisville's setback in Lexington against fast-improving University of Kentucky garnered much of the spotlight.
Sylvester Croom, on the hot seat at Mississippi State, turned in one of the best coaching jobs of the week in the Maroons' invasion of Auburn. The former University of Alabama standout had to enjoy this sweet victory, a year after beating his alma mater in Tuscaloosa. Suddenly, Sly might become an early entry in the SEC Coach of the Year competition.
It takes four years, more likely five, for a new coach to get his program moving. Sly's arch-rival Ed Orgeron would agree. Ole Miss' resounding loss to Vanderbilt in Nashville looks quite grim with defending national champion Florida invading Oxford this weekend. The Rebels then invade Athens to play Georgia. The Rebs do play Alabama and LSU at home but must make massive improvement to even think about winning against these high-powered foes.
Alabama won a thriller in the final moments against a good Arkansas team and the Tide appears ready to be a serious contender in the West, LSU's leading challenger in that division.
On the national level Michigan is still unbeaten in the Big Ten and the one-sided win over Notre Dame has to revive Wolverines dreams of a Conference title. Ohio State looked very good beating the University of Washington. Northwestern's defeat at the hands of Duke was a shocker, too.
In this third year at Notre Dame Charlie Weis' recruiting does not look so good. He had been discussed as a possible next coach of the New York Giants where he got his start in Pro Football.Remember when Golden Boy Paul Hornung urged his alma mater to lower the entrance requirements and was fired. I was in the press box a couple of years later when Hornung returned from the playing field where he had watched the University of Southern California warm up. He was asked how did the Trojans look.
Hornung said for every big player Notre Dame had USC had five.Every school must concentrate more on speed to blend with size. Florida really proved it by overwhelming Ohio State in last year's national championship game.
Loyal Ole Miss rooter Mitch Lavinghouze attended his 402nd consecutive game watching the Rebs perform. TheNashville trip was a long ride home. Going into the Florida game Buck Howell decided to not make the trip to Oxford and had a hernia operation.
There is genuine concern about the Rebels' poor defensive performance. Major recruiting of high school and junior college standouts who can qualify academically is a must if Ed Orgeron's tour of duty is going to be a success.
Southern Mississippi scored an important victory in Greenville S.C. over East Carolina State, avenging an overtime loss in Hattiesburg in 2006. The Eagles now travel to Boise to play rugged Boise State, coming off with an imposing victory over Joe Glenn's Wyoming Cowboys.
Southern playing three road games in a row is tough. A huge weekend shapes up Oct. 12-13 in Hattiesburg when USM celebrates Homecoming against SMU. Not only will Jim Carmody, Reggie Collier and Company have a reunion, but so will the great 1952-53-54 Southerners. Quarterback Billy Jarrell does a masterful job keeping in tough with his teammates, which includes one of College Football's all-time one-two punches Hugh Lauirin Pepper and Bucky McElroy and the great end Stonewall Jackson Brumfield, all in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
---30-----
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Begining of a New Season--2007
Millsaps and Mississippi College collide in the Backyard Brawl, while Mississippi State hosts LSU in a marvelous start of the 2007 college football season before Sept. l when Ole Miss invades Memphis and Southern Miss hosts University of Tennessee-Martin in Hattiesburg.
The Majors and the Choctaws rivalry goes back many years nd then was halted, but it back in full swing now and that is good. LSU invades Starkville, ranked as one of the best teams in the country, a potential national champion, and could be vastly over-confident, offering Sylvester Croom's warriors to spring an upset which would go down as one of the best victories ever for the underdog Maroons.
Ole Miss faces an old rival in the Memphis Tigers and must beware of losing the inaugural battle before Southeastern Conference warfare begins. Before the SEC competition starts, how-ever the Rebels engage the University of Missouri, which is regarded by Lou Holtz as a possible national contender.
Southern Miss has a golden opportunity in Knoxville the following week in its game with the University of Tennessee which will be returning from the long trip to California to play the Golden Bears, also a potential national contender. Southern, ranked as the best in Conference USA in pre-season polls, over the years, has chalked up major upsets.
Ed Orgeron named Seth Adams as his starting quarterback and this offers Seth the chance to become the next Farley Salmon, the battling little field general who led the 1948 Rebels to a 8-1 season after Charlie Conerly gradated. Salmon, Buddy Bowen, and Bobby Jabour battled all spring and the starting QB job was not decided until fall practice.
Johnny Vaught switched formations after Conerly left,the single wing to the split-T because of the personnel on hand. Salmon had played wingback. Bowen was the best blocking back in the South with a Jacobs Trophy to prove it. Salmon could run, fake, improvise. Adams in the spring game, threw short passes and this blended with a running game featuring Ben Jarvis Green Ellis, who joined Kayo Dottley as a 1-000 yard producer. Kayo did it twice. So can Ben Jarvis if he stays healthy.
Ole Miss' offensive and defensive play seems vastly improved. The Rebels also play LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, and Florida at Vaught Hemingway Stadium this fall.
There is nothing like the start of a new season. Several weeks earlier I again attended the Big Ten's Media Luncheon with a packed ball room in Chicago to hear the ll head coaches outline their hopes and dreams of 2007. The best of the Big Ten will likely play the best of the SEC in several of the Bowl games once again. Michigan is the pre-season choice to prevail with Chad Henne, the quarterback, a likely Heisman Trophy candidate.
I have attended this luncheon since it started, dating back to the College All-Star week in the Windy City. The Big Ten has the best Luncheon every year. Joe Paterno and Lloyd Carr of Penn State and Michigan stole the show with Lloyd introducing his wife who, he said, came to the Luncheon because Paterno was her favorite speaker. Joe added later that he did not blame her for liking the way he talked since she had to listen to Lloyd at home.
Joe has recovered from his broken leg injury suffered on the sidelines during a game. He will not think of retiring as long as Bobby Bowden is coaching at Florida State. Both want to go down as the 1-A's coach with the most victories. Bowden was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame last year with the new 75-year old rule in place. So was Paterno, but he could not attend the Induction Dinner in New York, so he will be honored at the Foundation's Golden Anniversary Banquet at the Waldorf Astoria this December.
Paterno is a member of what I call the Boys of 1926 which also includes Tony Bennett, Hugh Hefner, and Mississippi Red and others. Marilyn Monroe was also born in 1926 and we would have waived the rule if she was still with us. She died at 36.
While in Chicago I dined at Gene and Gorgetti's one of the best restaurants in the country.I make it a point to dine there each summer while attending the Big Ten Media Day gathering.
Let the new season begin.
---30---
The Majors and the Choctaws rivalry goes back many years nd then was halted, but it back in full swing now and that is good. LSU invades Starkville, ranked as one of the best teams in the country, a potential national champion, and could be vastly over-confident, offering Sylvester Croom's warriors to spring an upset which would go down as one of the best victories ever for the underdog Maroons.
Ole Miss faces an old rival in the Memphis Tigers and must beware of losing the inaugural battle before Southeastern Conference warfare begins. Before the SEC competition starts, how-ever the Rebels engage the University of Missouri, which is regarded by Lou Holtz as a possible national contender.
Southern Miss has a golden opportunity in Knoxville the following week in its game with the University of Tennessee which will be returning from the long trip to California to play the Golden Bears, also a potential national contender. Southern, ranked as the best in Conference USA in pre-season polls, over the years, has chalked up major upsets.
Ed Orgeron named Seth Adams as his starting quarterback and this offers Seth the chance to become the next Farley Salmon, the battling little field general who led the 1948 Rebels to a 8-1 season after Charlie Conerly gradated. Salmon, Buddy Bowen, and Bobby Jabour battled all spring and the starting QB job was not decided until fall practice.
Johnny Vaught switched formations after Conerly left,the single wing to the split-T because of the personnel on hand. Salmon had played wingback. Bowen was the best blocking back in the South with a Jacobs Trophy to prove it. Salmon could run, fake, improvise. Adams in the spring game, threw short passes and this blended with a running game featuring Ben Jarvis Green Ellis, who joined Kayo Dottley as a 1-000 yard producer. Kayo did it twice. So can Ben Jarvis if he stays healthy.
Ole Miss' offensive and defensive play seems vastly improved. The Rebels also play LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, and Florida at Vaught Hemingway Stadium this fall.
There is nothing like the start of a new season. Several weeks earlier I again attended the Big Ten's Media Luncheon with a packed ball room in Chicago to hear the ll head coaches outline their hopes and dreams of 2007. The best of the Big Ten will likely play the best of the SEC in several of the Bowl games once again. Michigan is the pre-season choice to prevail with Chad Henne, the quarterback, a likely Heisman Trophy candidate.
I have attended this luncheon since it started, dating back to the College All-Star week in the Windy City. The Big Ten has the best Luncheon every year. Joe Paterno and Lloyd Carr of Penn State and Michigan stole the show with Lloyd introducing his wife who, he said, came to the Luncheon because Paterno was her favorite speaker. Joe added later that he did not blame her for liking the way he talked since she had to listen to Lloyd at home.
Joe has recovered from his broken leg injury suffered on the sidelines during a game. He will not think of retiring as long as Bobby Bowden is coaching at Florida State. Both want to go down as the 1-A's coach with the most victories. Bowden was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame last year with the new 75-year old rule in place. So was Paterno, but he could not attend the Induction Dinner in New York, so he will be honored at the Foundation's Golden Anniversary Banquet at the Waldorf Astoria this December.
Paterno is a member of what I call the Boys of 1926 which also includes Tony Bennett, Hugh Hefner, and Mississippi Red and others. Marilyn Monroe was also born in 1926 and we would have waived the rule if she was still with us. She died at 36.
While in Chicago I dined at Gene and Gorgetti's one of the best restaurants in the country.I make it a point to dine there each summer while attending the Big Ten Media Day gathering.
Let the new season begin.
---30---
Sunday, August 19, 2007
An Unidentified Man
BY JIMMIE McDOWELL
In mid-August the Jackson newsaper included in a possible homicide story of a woman that an unidentified man had also been found deceased in his Belhaven apartment. His name was not listed.
The Unidentified man was a longtime friend of mine, a member of the famed Belhaven Coffee Club, a World War Two Veteran in the European theater, a decorated Top Sergeant, who came to Mississippi after the war to play football and baseball for Hinds Junior College and later Mississippi College. His name was Leonard (Mac) McCummas, a Pennsylvanian from the coal mine country in John O'Hara's home town of Pottsville. I went to Pottsville for football dinners for a quarter of century while working for the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame, spending many enjoyable times all of those years.
Mac McCummas coached briefly on the high school level before selling insurance for a while at the same time Eagle Day was selling all of his Ole Miss pals insurance. Mac later opened a TV repair service with the quote: "When your TV is nervous, call Mac's TV repair service."
For 10 years Mac rode with Gentleman Jack Giddens to Vicksburg and then over to Louisiana to buy lottery tickets, pursuing jackpots, which they never hit. They played the slots in the Hill City going to and from Louisiana. Too bad Mississippi did not have a Lottery, particularly with the price of gas today. It would keep a lot of business in the Magnolia State.
Jack Giddens, we have mentioned before was voted Belhaven's most handsome man when GI's were accepted after the war. He got this honor over two eventual lawyers John Countiss and Sebastian Moore. The Janitor came in fourth.
Mac McCummas and Lester Madison, also a Top Sergeant, who also served in the ETO, swapped war stories over many cups of Coffee at Jimmy Parkin's drug story. The club continued to gather there when Bane's bought the story. I always enjoyed the pleasure of their company and would toss in some Navy experiences of my own in Greece, North Africa, England, and the North Atlantic. I was not the best shot on our Armed Guard gun crew but ranked tops respresenting our country on Liberty. For instance, the first red-headed sailor in Greece.
Mac McCummas did not want to go home to Pennsylvania. One by one his relatives there passed away,including a brother who was a Catholic Priest. He told me his days at Hinds and Mississippi College were the happiest times of his life. He was one of Coach Stanley Robinson's men and he was proud of it. He went to Arkansas State briefly after Hinds, but switched to MC because of a Choctaw coed.
His funeral was held at St. Peter's Cathedral with Reverend Brian Kaske officiating. His friend Waddell Nejam and his Family stood up to be counted in making the arrangements. Billy Hal Robbins and Ben Farmer also helped in the process. Too bad Mac's pals at Fenian's were unaware of his passing.
We will all miss Mac McCummus--no longer the Unidentified man from Belhaven
-30-------p
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In mid-August the Jackson newsaper included in a possible homicide story of a woman that an unidentified man had also been found deceased in his Belhaven apartment. His name was not listed.
The Unidentified man was a longtime friend of mine, a member of the famed Belhaven Coffee Club, a World War Two Veteran in the European theater, a decorated Top Sergeant, who came to Mississippi after the war to play football and baseball for Hinds Junior College and later Mississippi College. His name was Leonard (Mac) McCummas, a Pennsylvanian from the coal mine country in John O'Hara's home town of Pottsville. I went to Pottsville for football dinners for a quarter of century while working for the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame, spending many enjoyable times all of those years.
Mac McCummas coached briefly on the high school level before selling insurance for a while at the same time Eagle Day was selling all of his Ole Miss pals insurance. Mac later opened a TV repair service with the quote: "When your TV is nervous, call Mac's TV repair service."
For 10 years Mac rode with Gentleman Jack Giddens to Vicksburg and then over to Louisiana to buy lottery tickets, pursuing jackpots, which they never hit. They played the slots in the Hill City going to and from Louisiana. Too bad Mississippi did not have a Lottery, particularly with the price of gas today. It would keep a lot of business in the Magnolia State.
Jack Giddens, we have mentioned before was voted Belhaven's most handsome man when GI's were accepted after the war. He got this honor over two eventual lawyers John Countiss and Sebastian Moore. The Janitor came in fourth.
Mac McCummas and Lester Madison, also a Top Sergeant, who also served in the ETO, swapped war stories over many cups of Coffee at Jimmy Parkin's drug story. The club continued to gather there when Bane's bought the story. I always enjoyed the pleasure of their company and would toss in some Navy experiences of my own in Greece, North Africa, England, and the North Atlantic. I was not the best shot on our Armed Guard gun crew but ranked tops respresenting our country on Liberty. For instance, the first red-headed sailor in Greece.
Mac McCummas did not want to go home to Pennsylvania. One by one his relatives there passed away,including a brother who was a Catholic Priest. He told me his days at Hinds and Mississippi College were the happiest times of his life. He was one of Coach Stanley Robinson's men and he was proud of it. He went to Arkansas State briefly after Hinds, but switched to MC because of a Choctaw coed.
His funeral was held at St. Peter's Cathedral with Reverend Brian Kaske officiating. His friend Waddell Nejam and his Family stood up to be counted in making the arrangements. Billy Hal Robbins and Ben Farmer also helped in the process. Too bad Mac's pals at Fenian's were unaware of his passing.
We will all miss Mac McCummus--no longer the Unidentified man from Belhaven
-30-------p
ppppp
ppppp
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Summer Meeting in Lafayette County
BY JIMMIE McDOWELL---Gas costs twenty fie cents more a gallon. At least that was the case when Ole Miss letter winners gathered for their annual meeting in Lafayette County as compared to mid-Mississippi petrol costs.
Mid=South sports scribes who covered the Rebels in the Forties, Fifties and Sixties are all about gone now except for Mississippi Red. I appreciate being included on the invitation list. Wobble Davidson prided himself in turning boys into men. I wrote about this crew in high school and college. They were champions ion those days and they are still now.
Walter Stewart, David Bloom and George Bugbee and Magnolia State writers and editors Carl Walters, Purser Hewitt, Dick Smith, Odell McRae, Leonard Lowery, Charlie Kerg, Bill Ross, Arnold Hedrman, Lee Baker, Wayne Thompson, Charlie Gordon, Clint Blackwell, Ace Cleveland, Dick Lightsey, Billy Ray, Ken Ernst and Paul Tiblier have all passed away.
Jack Hairston of Greenwood and Jackson has retired in Jacksonville, Fla. Mississippi Red was gone for 30 years but has been back 15 years. During that time in New York, New Jersey and Tennessee I still covered Mississippi football from time to time.
Eagle Day and his mid-Fifty crew gathered at the Downtown Grill for a dinner in memory of Frank (Bruiser) Kinard, the first Mississippi football player elected to both College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. Billy Kinard and his wife Kay were thee to represent the family. Billy, of course, was a key member of the Rebels' Cotton Bowl champion team and later the Ole Miss head football coach. He was also a member of Ole Miss' first College World Series baseball team.
This baseball team was well represented at this reunion with Bernie Schrieber, the second baseman, coming all the way from South Dakota to be there. Bernie and shortstop Pepper Thomas provided a great double play combination for Tom Swayze's baseball Rebels and they enjoyed seeing each other again.
Eagle was also a key member of the football and baseball teams as w ere Eddie Crawford and Billy Kinard. Crawford, the retired senior associate athletic director, gave an excellent report to the group as did George Smith, the Director of the Loyalty Foundation/ Ray Poole, honored a year ago, was on hand with his bride Wanda. His nephew Paige Cothren missed the meeting as he completes another book.
Buddy Alliston came down from Memphis. He was the Outstanding Lineman in the Cotton Bowl victory over John Vaught's TCU alma mater while Day was the MVP and has been elected to the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame.
Chancellor Robert Khayat and Warner Alford, director of Alumni Affairs, were roommates at Ole Miss. They chaired the other M Club meeting of the late Fifties and this group voted to include the 1961 and 1962 Rebels in 2008 when they gather next summer. At this party wee such stalwarts as Charlie Flowers, Jake Gibbs, and Billy Ray Adams, all All-Americans, Bobby Ray Franklin, Ralph (Catfish) Smith, Chico Taylor, Louis Guy. Richard (Possum) Price, Wes Sullivan, Art Doty, Wayne Terry Lamar, Charlie Duck, Allen Green, and others.
Frankie (Hobby Horse)( Halbert was also there. He was Vaught's good luck player who was included on the travel squad. One day Vaught was putting the travel list on the wall and Frankie asked the coach "what time are we leaving.Coach" Vaught replied: What do you mean WE?"
Halbert countered:" Aren't you going, Coach?" Vaught added Halbert to the list.
Kent Jr. Lovelace, a member of both groups, was also there. He had a blowout driving from the Coast near Florence. I asked him did he change the tire and he said he did not do manual labor. His pal, Warren (Beaux) Ball missed the meeting because he was enjoying his summer home in Colorado where his neighbors were Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford once lived. Frank told me at Wellington Mara's funeral in New York that he had moved.
Reunions of champion teams are terrific. 0-11 teams never have reunions. Ed Orgeron hopes that his current Rebels can develop in to championship teams. Seth Adams seems to have won the Quarterback job just as Farley Salmon did in 1948 when Ole Miss went 8-1 and was not invited to play in a Bowl game. Time will tell.
---30---
Mid=South sports scribes who covered the Rebels in the Forties, Fifties and Sixties are all about gone now except for Mississippi Red. I appreciate being included on the invitation list. Wobble Davidson prided himself in turning boys into men. I wrote about this crew in high school and college. They were champions ion those days and they are still now.
Walter Stewart, David Bloom and George Bugbee and Magnolia State writers and editors Carl Walters, Purser Hewitt, Dick Smith, Odell McRae, Leonard Lowery, Charlie Kerg, Bill Ross, Arnold Hedrman, Lee Baker, Wayne Thompson, Charlie Gordon, Clint Blackwell, Ace Cleveland, Dick Lightsey, Billy Ray, Ken Ernst and Paul Tiblier have all passed away.
Jack Hairston of Greenwood and Jackson has retired in Jacksonville, Fla. Mississippi Red was gone for 30 years but has been back 15 years. During that time in New York, New Jersey and Tennessee I still covered Mississippi football from time to time.
Eagle Day and his mid-Fifty crew gathered at the Downtown Grill for a dinner in memory of Frank (Bruiser) Kinard, the first Mississippi football player elected to both College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. Billy Kinard and his wife Kay were thee to represent the family. Billy, of course, was a key member of the Rebels' Cotton Bowl champion team and later the Ole Miss head football coach. He was also a member of Ole Miss' first College World Series baseball team.
This baseball team was well represented at this reunion with Bernie Schrieber, the second baseman, coming all the way from South Dakota to be there. Bernie and shortstop Pepper Thomas provided a great double play combination for Tom Swayze's baseball Rebels and they enjoyed seeing each other again.
Eagle was also a key member of the football and baseball teams as w ere Eddie Crawford and Billy Kinard. Crawford, the retired senior associate athletic director, gave an excellent report to the group as did George Smith, the Director of the Loyalty Foundation/ Ray Poole, honored a year ago, was on hand with his bride Wanda. His nephew Paige Cothren missed the meeting as he completes another book.
Buddy Alliston came down from Memphis. He was the Outstanding Lineman in the Cotton Bowl victory over John Vaught's TCU alma mater while Day was the MVP and has been elected to the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame.
Chancellor Robert Khayat and Warner Alford, director of Alumni Affairs, were roommates at Ole Miss. They chaired the other M Club meeting of the late Fifties and this group voted to include the 1961 and 1962 Rebels in 2008 when they gather next summer. At this party wee such stalwarts as Charlie Flowers, Jake Gibbs, and Billy Ray Adams, all All-Americans, Bobby Ray Franklin, Ralph (Catfish) Smith, Chico Taylor, Louis Guy. Richard (Possum) Price, Wes Sullivan, Art Doty, Wayne Terry Lamar, Charlie Duck, Allen Green, and others.
Frankie (Hobby Horse)( Halbert was also there. He was Vaught's good luck player who was included on the travel squad. One day Vaught was putting the travel list on the wall and Frankie asked the coach "what time are we leaving.Coach" Vaught replied: What do you mean WE?"
Halbert countered:" Aren't you going, Coach?" Vaught added Halbert to the list.
Kent Jr. Lovelace, a member of both groups, was also there. He had a blowout driving from the Coast near Florence. I asked him did he change the tire and he said he did not do manual labor. His pal, Warren (Beaux) Ball missed the meeting because he was enjoying his summer home in Colorado where his neighbors were Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford once lived. Frank told me at Wellington Mara's funeral in New York that he had moved.
Reunions of champion teams are terrific. 0-11 teams never have reunions. Ed Orgeron hopes that his current Rebels can develop in to championship teams. Seth Adams seems to have won the Quarterback job just as Farley Salmon did in 1948 when Ole Miss went 8-1 and was not invited to play in a Bowl game. Time will tell.
---30---
Upcoming All American Football Foundation Banquets
December 6, 2007
Newton, MA, Marriott Hotel
December 20, 2007
Las Vegas NV, Planet Hollywood Casino Resort Hotel
For reservations call 601-206-8877
Newton, MA, Marriott Hotel
December 20, 2007
Las Vegas NV, Planet Hollywood Casino Resort Hotel
For reservations call 601-206-8877
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